The Tucker Center

Tuesday, October 22, the Tucker Center presents "The Tucker Center at 20: Honoring Our Legacy & Celebrating Our Achievement" at 7:00 pm at Cowles Auditorium, Hubert H. Humphrey Center.

The Female Athlete and Concussions: The Untold and Unexamined Story April 14, 2011 Diane Wiese-Bjornstal, Jill Brooks, Aynsley Smith Research findings on the rising incidence of sport-related concussions have ignited a national conversation about this injury, but for the most part, the discussion and research focuses on male athletes at the professional level. The Tucker Center aims to change that by raising awareness of the realities about female athletes and concussions. The April discussion will address questions such as: Do gender differences exist in sport-related concussion risk, symptoms, outcomes, and recovery? To address these critical issues, nationally recognized experts will discuss the latest research about what is known and not known regarding the impact of concussions on female athletes. Strategies for future research, as well as educational and prevention efforts will also be examined.

The second Fall 2010 Tucker Table took place on Thursday, November 11, with Tucker Center resident scholars, Dr. Mary Jo Kane & Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi, speaking on "The Construction & Launch of espnW: Fact v. Fiction". The presentation will take place in Cooke 206 from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm.

The Tucker Center with support of KARE 11 TV (NBC), the Medtronic Foundation, the Janet B. Watson Fund of the Minnesota Women's Foundation, and the Minnesota Lynx has produced a videotape and accompanying curriculum guide entitled "Throw Like a Girl: A Revolution in Women's Sports." "Throw Like a Girl: A Revolution in Women's Sports" is a story about what it has been like for girls and women to play sports as told through the eyes of different generations of Minnesota families. It is a story about the barriers that needed to be overcome in order to reach a landmark moment in women's sports—the passage of Title IX in 1972—and all of the victories that have occurred in its wake. It is a story about females participating at all levels of sport from the playgrounds to the Olympics. It is a story about the impact of sport, not just on the young women themselves, but on their families, their communities and even their country. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it is a story about triumph and what it means to finally live during an era when "throwing like a girl" is seen not as a criticism, but as a compliment. The videotape has recently received a national award from the Association of Women in Radio and Television Broadcasting. The "Gracie Award" is in honor of the late radio and television pioneer, Gracie Allen. The video and an accompanying curriculum guide can be used in a variety of educational settings—ranging from physical education, history, and social studies classes, to general sport programs—to tell the history and forecast the future of women's and girls' sport in the state of Minnesota.

Are Women Aging Successfully? New Thinking and Research about Gender and Physical Activity Mariah Burton Nelson April 21, 2010 The world’s population is rapidly aging. By 2030, the number of U.S. citizens over 65 will be nearly twice what it is today and a large majority will be women. This gender difference in longevity has significant implications for women’s health, well-being, and quality of life. Scholars and advocates argue that older women are disproportionately affected by ageism and that cultural factors pressure many aging women to focus more on appearance versus physical health, more on face-lifting than weight-lifting. Mariah Burton Nelson, an internationally known author, journalist, and speaker on gender and sports and the Executive Director of the American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation, challenges us to ask how women can positively embrace growing older and simultaneously resist the detrimental societal forces which may negatively impact their lives. A provocative thinker and writer, Nelson will provide an inspirational look at how women can reframe ageism and redefine “successful aging.” She will discuss the latest research pertaining to personal behaviors that contribute to maintaining and enhancing physical ability, cognitive function, vitality, and joy as we grow older. She will also explore how we typically think and speak about aging and our own aging process, and encourage us to include stories about hope, humor, health, and happiness.

Facing Off Over Facebook: The Impact of Social Media on Women's Sports Marie Hardin, Rachel Blount, Angela Ruggiero October 19, 2009 Over the past 30 years, scholars have documented numerous ways in which traditional sport media marginalize and sexualize female athletes. Into this vast—and influential—media landscape appears the recent and exponential explosion of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Will this technological paradigm shift challenge or reproduce the ways in which female athletes are traditionally portrayed in mainstream sport media? Will the unprecedented popularity of social media—and the alternative “ways of knowing” it provides to traditional media—fundamentally alter how we view women’s sports? Panelists with diverse experiences and perspectives faced off, taking on these important and largely unexplored questions as we move into the Age of New Media.

Sex vs. Athletic Competence: Exploring Competing Narratives in Marketing and Promoting Women's Sports Kristin Bernert, Regina Sullivan, Mary Jo Kane, Heather Maxwell April 17, 2007 The Tucker Center Spring 2007 Edie Mueller Distinguished Lecture, Sex vs. Athletic Competence: Exploring Competing Narratives in Marketing and Promoting Women's Sports, was held Tuesday, April 17, 2007 at Cowles Auditorium in the Hubert H. Humphrey Center on the West Bank of the U of M Campus. The presentation featured a dynamic panel of experts with diverse professional, educational, and research-based backgrounds who share a common interest in women’s sports. These distinguished panelists examined various philosophies and strategies surrounding the ways in which collegiate and professional women's sports are marketed and promoted, as well as the effectiveness of those strategies in light of innovative research being conducted by the Tucker Center. Panelists included: Kristin Bernert, Vice President of WNBA Team Development, Regina Sullivan, Senior Associate Athletic Director at the U of M, Professor Mary Jo Kane, Director of the Tucker Center and the School of Kinesiology, and Heather Maxwell, Tucker Center Research Assistant.

Protecting Title IX From Emerging Threats: What's Fact vs. Fiction Got To Do With It? Rayla Allison, Deborah Larkin, Mary Jo Kane, Nicole LaVoi October 24, 2005 A panel of experts examined recent developments that threaten to reverse the unprecedented progress and achievements that have occurred in the wake of Title IX. Panel members were: Rayla Allison, a Title IX attorney from Minnesota State University, Mankato; Deborah Larkin, a nationally-known expert and advocate for Title IX and former Executive Director of the Women's Sports Foundation; Mary Jo Kane, a nationally-known scholar who has published extensively on the social and political implications of Title IX; and Nicole LaVoi, a sport psychologist and the Tucker Center's new Associate Director, who moderated the discussion. The panel addressed legal issues that have had a major impact on Title IX compliance, the numerous myths and misrepresentations surrounding Title IX (e.g., Title IX forces schools to drop men's sports), and 2005 guidelines from the Department of Education that undermine female athletes by making them prove they are interested in playing a particular sport in order to receive that opportunity. Specific strategies to safeguard Title IX were also presented.

The Professionalization of Youth Sports and its Special Impact on Girls Dan Gould April 24, 2006 The Tucker Center Spring 2006 Edie Mueller Distinguished Lecture, "The Professionalization of Youth Sports and its Special Impact on Girls," was held April 24, 2006, in the Cowles Auditorium in the U of MN's Hubert H. Humphrey Center. This lecture was given by Dr. Dan Gould, Director of the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports and Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the Michigan State University. American youth sports has become increasingly professionalized and this professionalization is characterized by a focus on participation as a means to an end (e.g., college scholarship), single sport specialization, intense year-round training, private coaching, elite teams, and an increased importance placed on winning. Dr. Gould spoke to an SRO audience about this paradigmatic shift and the ramifications for young female athletes in light of research on elite athlete talent development, the role of parents in youth sports, the psychological development of champion athletes, and burnout in young athletes.

Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies: Barriers and Solutions to Girls' Physical Activity Participation Maureen Weiss October 16, 2007 Decades of research indicate that positive physical and psycho-social benefits are derived from participation in physical activity. Such benefits include a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and osteoporosis, as well as increased self-esteem, cognitive development, and quality peer relationships. Unfortunately, far too many girls do not receive these benefits because physical inactivity is significantly higher among females than males and because declines in physical activity are especially steep for adolescent girls. So why are girls less physically active at the exact moment when they have the most to gain physically, socially, and psychologically? This presentation addresses these issues in depth. Professor Maureen Weiss, an internationally known scholar, educator, and public advocate, examined patterns related to—and barriers preventing—girls' full participation in sport and physical activity. In the Tucker Center's Fall 2007 Distinguished Lecture, Professor Maureen Weiss, an internationally known scholar, educator, and public advocate, examined patterns related to—and barriers preventing—girls’ full participation in sport and physical activity. The author of over 100 scholarly articles and co-editor of four books on youth sport, Dr. Weiss has served as President of three professional organizations and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education. She has also received numerous professional awards, including the Honor Award for Exemplary Service and Leadership from the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport. Professor Weiss offered research-based, practical solutions to the alarming trends associated with adolescent girls’ involvement—or lack of involvement—in physical activity.

The 2007 Tucker Center Research Report Developing Physically Active Girls: Challenges, Opportunities, and Solutions Drs. Nicole LaVoi, Barbara Ainsworth, Margaret Duncan, & Diane Wiese-Bjornstal April 22, 2008 This spring’s Distinguished Lecture highlighted the 2007 Tucker Center Research Report: Developing Physically Active Girls. Using a panel presentation format, the report’s authors—Barbara Ainsworth, Margaret Duncan, Nicole LaVoi, and Diane Wiese-Bjornstal—provided an overview and summary of key findings and recommendations. The 2007 Tucker Center Research Report is a 10-year update of the ground-breaking 1997 President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Report, Physical Activity & Sport in the Lives of Girls. The purpose of the initial report, as well as the 10-year update, was to ask respected scholars in academic fields of study ranging from exercise physiology to sport psychology, to share the latest research findings about how involvement in sport and physical activity enable girls to reach their full potential.

“You Gotta Be Tough”: Challenges & Strategies of Female Coaches in Youth Sport Michael A. Messner April 22, 2009 Over the past 30 years, girls’ increasing participation in youth sports has been nothing short of revolutionary. During this same time period, few women have become head coaches in youth sports and when they do volunteer, they are often relegated to the position of "team mom." To address this "leadership gap," sport scholar Michael Messner examined a Southern California community’s youth soccer, baseball and softball leagues. His research asks the following questions: What are the barriers preventing women from coaching youth sports? What challenges are faced by the few women who do coach? What strategies do these women develop to survive—and sometimes thrive—as youth sports coaches, and what can we learn from their strategies? Messner explores these questions and outlines why recruiting and supporting female coaches is so important for our families, our communities, and our children.

A Hero for Daisy Mary Mazzio April 17, 2001 In partnership with Women's Intercollegiate Athletics, the Tucker Center screened "A Hero for Daisy" with filmmaker Mary Mazzio. The over-flow event took place at Cowles Auditorium in the Hubert H. Humphrey Center. Heralded by The New York Times as "a landmark film," "A Hero For Daisy" is an inspirational 40-minute documentary about two-time Olympian and Title IX pioneer Chris Ernst, who galvanized her rowing team to storm the Yale athletic director's office in 1976 to protest substandard conditions. Nineteen women athletes stripped, exposing the phrase "Title IX" emblazoned in blue marker on their bodies. Carried by all of the major international news outlets, the impact of the demonstration was immediate and national in scope, shocking the nation and bringing attention to Title IX as well as to issues of equality for all women in sport. The film includes interviews with Massachusetts Senator John Kerry (Yale '66); legendary football coach and former Yale Athletic Director, Carmen Cozza; President of the U.S. Rowing Association and Yale Rowing Coach, David Vogel; and many of Chris' former Yale and Olympic teammates. Director Mary Mazzio, herself an Olympian on the 1992 Olympic Rowing Team, made the film for her daughter, Daisy, as well as for other girls and boys, to showcase an ordinary woman with extraordinary courage. Mazzio attended Boston University's graduate film production program and is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and Georgetown Law School. She is a recipient of numerous awards including the 2000 Women's Sports Foundation Journalism Award, the Henry Luce Foundation Fellowship and the Rotary Foundation Graduate Fellowship.

Eating Disorders and the Female Athlete Craig Johnson, Scott Crow, Vanessa Seljeskog, JoAnna Deeter. October 24, 2001 The Tucker Center's 12th Annual Borghild Strand Distinguished Lecture, held at the Cowles Auditorium at the Hubert H. Humphrey Center, featured a panel of experts focusing on female athletes and eating disorders. Participants on the panel were: Craig Johnson, Director, Eating Disorders Program, Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital; Scott Crow, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Eating Disorders Clinic at the University of Minnesota; Vanessa Seljeskog, Associate Athletic Director, Macalester College, whose experience includes working with cross-country and track & field athletes, including 9 All-Americas and 3 National Champions; and JoAnna Deeter, of the Northwest Athletic Club, and former track and field standout at University of Notre Dame. The panel discussion, offered at a time of unabashed media and cultural celebration of near-starving female bodies, provided a forum for education and learning about disordered eating and athletic females.

"Best Seat in the House": From the Locker Room to the Press Box—Women's Sports in the 21st Century Christine Brennan October 10, 2006 The Tucker Center Fall 2006 Edie Mueller Distinguished Lecture, "'Best Seat in the House': From the Locker Room to the Press Box— Women's Sports in the 21st Century", was held October 10, 2006 at the Weisman Art Museum on the U of MN's East Bank Campus. The lecture was given by Christine Brennan, a sports columnist for USA Today, guest commentator for ABC News, Fox Sports Radio, ESPN, and NPR, as well as best-selling author. Brennan has blazed a pioneering trail for women sports journalists. She has witnessed the impact of Title IX first-hand and shared her insights about the progress yet to be made for female athletes and sports journalists. Brennan also highlighted the role of her father in giving her the support and confidence she needed to excel in the pre-Title IX world of sports.

Images of Women, Sexuality and Nationalism: What's (Olympic) Sport Got To Do With It? Lisa Disch, Susan Brownell, Mary Jo Kane, Pat Griffin, and Doug Hartmann October 4, 2000 In collaboration with the MacArthur Interdisciplinary Program on Global Change, Sustainability, and Justice, the Tucker Center presented a panel discussion, "Images of Women, Sexuality and Nationalism: What's (Olympic) Sport Got To Do With It?" at Cowles Auditorium in the Hubert H. Humphrey Center. The panel members, all internationally recognized scholars, represented a variety of academic perspectives: Lisa Disch, Department of Political Science, University of Minnesota, specializes in political theory with a research focus in third party politics and feminist theory; Susan Brownell, Department of Anthropology, University of Missouri, focuses her research on China, rituals of state, and uses of sport and the body; Mary Jo Kane, Director, Tucker Center, University of Minnesota, examines media representations of women in sport and the impact of Title IX; Pat Griffin, Social Justice Education Program, University of Massachusetts, addresses in her research heterosexism/homophobia in professional and intercollegiate athletics as well as in higher education; and, Doug Hartmann, Department of Sociology, University of Minnesota, the panel moderator, explores race, culture, and social change, focusing on sport and popular culture in the U.S. The panel event overlapped the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, and the Games served as the crucial point of departure and focus. Panel participants explored the relationships between sport and social processes—focusing especially on gender and sexuality—around the world as a way to recognize and conceptualize the social, cultural, economic and political significance of sport and the Olympic Games in the contemporary, postmodern age. The panel was part of a larger, seven-week MacArthur Program workshop entitled "The Cultural Politics of Sport and the Olympic Games: Comparative and Global Perspectives" which examined the ways in which race, gender, nation and sexuality are implicated in sporting practices and institutions given the fact that sport culture, especially that of Olympic sport, is so often understood in an abstract, universalistic fashion.

Minnesota Female Olympians: Stories, Experiences & Inspirations Presenters Janis Klecker, Carrie Tollefson, Shani Marks, and Dr. Doug Hartmann October 22, 2008 The Tucker Center celebrates the participation of female athletes at all levels. This Fall, we are proud to celebrate an elite group of sportswomen in our midst. The 2008 Distinguished Lecture will feature a trio of Minnesota’s finest female athletes—Track & Field Olympians Janis Klecker, Carrie Tollefson and Shani Marks. The performances of Olympians inspire and captivate our imaginations. But the Olympics are not only about medal counts and wins and losses. They occur within a complex set of issues related to gender, class and race. To provide context for this complexity—along with acknowledging the accomplishments of our featured Minnesota Olympians—U of M Professor of Sociology, Doug Hartmann, will critique the Olympics in general and the Beijing Olympics in particular. He will share his own experiences of his travels to China followed by a discussion with our featured panelists in which we will learn about their life stories, experiences and inspirations.

Interview with Mary Jo Kane on the 2007 Tucker Center Research Report, "Developing Physically Active Girls: An Evidence-based Multidisciplinary Approach"