50 Years of Title IX: Sara Clarin - Softball
6/22/2022 12:06:00 PM | Softball
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the passing of Title IX by the United States Congress. In 1972, Congress passed Title IX as part of that year's education amendments. Written by Representative Patsy Mink, Representative Edith Green and Senator Birch Bayh, the law prohibits sex-based discrimination in all schools receiving federal financial assistance. Although the text of the law makes no reference to athletics, it was later determined to encompass all aspects of a school's operations, including intercollegiate sports programs. One study found that, between the implementation of Title IX and 2006, there had been an almost 500% increase in the number of female collegiate athletes.
In 1995 Sara Clarin (Stockton) began playing softball at Cal Poly when the program was only in its second year of being Division I.
"Title IX created awareness for females to be treated equally and have their own sports," Clarin said. "Females bring value to sports."
As a child, Clarin played little league baseball on a boys team. "I didn't play on an all-girls softball team until I was thirteen. Although bigger cities had girls teams, my small town didn't growing up. The all-girls teams were a product of Title IX."
"Title IX opened the door in terms of more opportunities as I got older and moved up the ranks of sports. In high school, I played on a club softball team, the Salinas Storm. The Storm was pushing us to continue playing after high school."
Sara was inspired to continue her athletic career at the college level by her female high school volleyball coach who played at Saint Mary's.
In 1997 and 1999 she was named First Team All-Big West and still ranks ninth in program history for career batting average (.328).
Clarin comments on her experience at Cal Poly: "It was second to none. I got an extremely great education. The 'Learn by Doing' philosophy is helpful in all areas of life such as in parenting. Those four years were some of the best years of my life. I really grew as a person because of my experience on and off the softball field."
"The girls from my softball team at Cal Poly are like my sisters. In fact, the entire softball program is great, the alumni community is very tight knit."
After earning her bachelors degree in 1999, Sara went on to coach at Cal Poly while obtaining her Masters in kinesiology. She then began coaching at Cuesta College and in 2011 returned to Cal Poly as a volunteer assistant coach.
One of her favorite memories from coaching is when Cal Poly opened Bob Janssen Field in March of 2001. She was a part of the inaugural game against UC Riverside.
Today, she has a 12 year old daughter who she tries to instill in her the legacy and history of Title IX and the progress that's been made in women's sports. "We tell her if you can see it, you can be it. We like to expose her to as much as we can such as watching female sports on TV. I also show her the history of inequality that my alumni friends and I faced. We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. It's important for her to appreciate the opportunities she has today."
"We still have a lot of work to do in terms of equality such as salary for women's coaches. I am confident this generation knows how to use their voice and I encourage them to continue bringing awareness."
Story by: Catie Logan, Cal Poly Athletic Communications
In 1995 Sara Clarin (Stockton) began playing softball at Cal Poly when the program was only in its second year of being Division I.
"Title IX created awareness for females to be treated equally and have their own sports," Clarin said. "Females bring value to sports."
As a child, Clarin played little league baseball on a boys team. "I didn't play on an all-girls softball team until I was thirteen. Although bigger cities had girls teams, my small town didn't growing up. The all-girls teams were a product of Title IX."
"Title IX opened the door in terms of more opportunities as I got older and moved up the ranks of sports. In high school, I played on a club softball team, the Salinas Storm. The Storm was pushing us to continue playing after high school."
Sara was inspired to continue her athletic career at the college level by her female high school volleyball coach who played at Saint Mary's.
In 1997 and 1999 she was named First Team All-Big West and still ranks ninth in program history for career batting average (.328).
Clarin comments on her experience at Cal Poly: "It was second to none. I got an extremely great education. The 'Learn by Doing' philosophy is helpful in all areas of life such as in parenting. Those four years were some of the best years of my life. I really grew as a person because of my experience on and off the softball field."
"The girls from my softball team at Cal Poly are like my sisters. In fact, the entire softball program is great, the alumni community is very tight knit."
After earning her bachelors degree in 1999, Sara went on to coach at Cal Poly while obtaining her Masters in kinesiology. She then began coaching at Cuesta College and in 2011 returned to Cal Poly as a volunteer assistant coach.
One of her favorite memories from coaching is when Cal Poly opened Bob Janssen Field in March of 2001. She was a part of the inaugural game against UC Riverside.
Today, she has a 12 year old daughter who she tries to instill in her the legacy and history of Title IX and the progress that's been made in women's sports. "We tell her if you can see it, you can be it. We like to expose her to as much as we can such as watching female sports on TV. I also show her the history of inequality that my alumni friends and I faced. We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. It's important for her to appreciate the opportunities she has today."
"We still have a lot of work to do in terms of equality such as salary for women's coaches. I am confident this generation knows how to use their voice and I encourage them to continue bringing awareness."
Story by: Catie Logan, Cal Poly Athletic Communications
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