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.