By paul beebe

| The Salt Lake Tribune

Ten-year-old Addison Rauzon was ready to attack the climbing wall at Westminster College’s athletic building, and was relishing the prospect.

It wouldn’t be the first time Addison tested her mind and muscles on the 46-foot wall that soars toward a skylight in the ceiling of the Dolores Dore Eccles Health Wellness and Athletic Center — she scaled it last year when she was 9 years old.

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At a glance

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What is Title IX?

Enacted 40 years ago, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 is the landmark law that bans sex discrimination in schools, whether in academics or athletics. In 2002, the law was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author, former Rep. Patsy Mink, D-Hawaii. Critics say Title IX unfairly eliminated athletic opportunities for boys at high schools and colleges. But supporters argue Title IX opened the door for girls to participate in high school and college athletics.

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"I like how high you get and how you feel when you get to the top — that you made it," she said Saturday.

How does she feel when she looks down at the floor three stories below? "I feel very confident, and I can do the next rock-climbing wall that’s harder."

That was exactly the reason Westminster College sponsors the annual sports and recreation clinic for girls ages 6 to 14. The event, which drew 170 girls, would hopefully instill in them the bliss of physical activity. Over the course of more than two hours, the girls would be exposed to more than a dozen sports and recreational activities ranging from basketball to zumba — a vigorous dance fitness program created in Colombia two decades ago.

"Hopefully, they experience something new and … have the opportunity to be coached by a role model. It isn’t just about competition. It’s about being active and experiencing sports and recreation," said Traci Siriprathane, director of Westminster’s fitness, wellness and recreation department.

The event commemorated the enactment 40 years ago of Title IX, the controversial federal law that forbids sex discrimination in sports and academics. In the days before Title IX, only one in 27 girls played varsity high school sports. By 2001, that figure was up to one in 2.5, for a total of 2.8 million girls playing high school sports, according to the National Organization of Women (NOW).

Similarly, 32,000 female athletes played on intercollegiate teams prior to Title IX, compared with 150,000 today. Athletic scholarships for women were virtually nonexistent before Title IX, but by 2003, more than $1 million in scholarships was awarded for women at Division I schools, according to NOW.

The law also produced major changes in U.S. classrooms. In 1972, women earned just 7 percent of all law degrees and 9 percent of medical degrees. By 2001, they received 47 percent of law degrees and 43 percent of medical degrees. In 1970, women earned only 13 percent of doctoral degrees. Thirty years later, nearly half of all doctoral degrees were awarded to women, NOW claims.

"I think sports are important for girls," said Ashlee Rauzon, Addison’s mother. "It helps them in life. It helps them build relationships and master skills that are difficult.

"It’s nice to know that when you are at work or in college that you can reflect on your past challenges and know that you can do [your present challenges]," Rauzon said.

To Haydn Wood, Title IX is a fusty old piece of history. On her mind was an afternoon of martial arts, zumba and swimming. Haydn, 11, chose them because they seemed the most enjoyable and interesting of the activities on the list of choices.

"I came so I can have fun and exercise with my friends," she said.

She has attended the event every year since it began three years ago, and the experience has rubbed off on her mom, who abstained from exercise when she was growing up. Last year, when Sharyne Wood was 46, she signed up for a zumba class. Twelve months later, Wood is 50 pounds lighter and an ardent advocate of exercise.

"You have to find an activity that you love," Wood said. "Maybe by letting [the girls at the event] try an activity, they will love it, too."

pbeebe@sltrib.com

Twitter: @sltribpaul