Each February, North Central College celebrates National Girls and Women in Sport Day with a luncheon and presentation of the Cleo Tanner Award. For a list of past winners, click here.
President Troy Hammond 2014 Cleo Tanner Award Winner
Nancy Range
2014 National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration.
2013 National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration.
To see the video of the 2011 National Girls and Women in Sports Day celebration at North Central College, click here.
Teaching Title IX
At North Central College, we use the NGWSD celebration as a teaching vehicle for Title IX. In 2011, we hosted a panel discussion entitled "Through the Years" where women from six generations of sport at North Central College commented on their participation, or lack thereof, in organized sports. Panel members included Ann Walczak '67, Nancy Majewski Range '74, Anne Townsend '84, Marcy Kritikos '92, Sue DeNigris Kane '02 and Elise Manzie '10. Walczak recalled how she was told she "played too rough" when she tried out field hockey. Range recalled how everyone played everything and every sport, with the exception of tennis, shared the same jerseys. Townsend played golf with the men - the women's team was started in 1997.
In 2009, students prepared an educational presentation related to Title IX, the educational amendment that requires gender equity in athletics. This year’s presentation, “Title IX in Nine Words” illustrated how North Central College would look today, had Title IX not been passed in 1972.
On Sunday, February 22, 2009, North Central College hosted Judith M. Sweet, former Senior Vice President of the NCAA for Championships and Education Services, as part of the inaugural Swing Outstanding Women in Sport lecture series. Judy’s presentation, “It’s Not Whether You Win or Lose, It’s Whether You Get to Play the Game at All,” addressed the history of sport and changes that have occurred since the passage of Title IX in 1972.
