As one of the top swimmers in the county, I know achievement does not happen by accident. It takes work, dedication, perseverance and time. I learned this as a little girl, waking up at 4:30 a.m. to go to swim practice and then returning to the pool that afternoon to pursue my goals.
I learned it as a college student who finished my career as a 12-time NCAA All-American, five-time SEC Champion and record holder, and two-time Olympic trial qualifier. Despite this, it was not until the last competition of my collegiate career that I realized how much I had taken for granted the achievements of Title IX.
Fifty years ago, pioneering women and men fought for Title IXโs passage. They knew their efforts would pay off by giving girls and women like me the opportunity to have our own sports category protected under federal law.
