Fifty years ago in June 1972, Title IX was passed in the U.S., prohibiting sex-based discrimination in any school or other education program that receives federal money.

Two years later, Normal Community High School in Normal, Ill. formed its first ever girl’s tennis team. At the urging of our father (who’d introduced us to the sport), my sister Sue and I both tried out for the team and made it.

As a skinny freshman, I didn’t get much playing time. A sophomore, Sue was bigger and stronger than me and quickly became of the team’s top players. I was glad for her success, but struggled to get out from under her shadow.

I kept working on my game, though, and eventually grew a little. By the time I was a senior and Sue was gone, our team won districts, my doubles partner and I went to state, and I got the MVP award.

Sue chose not to try out for her college team at Augustana, but I played one year at Valparaiso University. When I transferred to Northwestern University as a sophomore, I wasn’t good enough to play varsity tennis for the Wildcats. I knew that being a student-athlete was tough and didn’t want to put in the work to be second-string JV.

So I put away my racquet walked away from competitive tennis. But I came back to it about seven years later and have never stopped – even playing up until I was seven months pregnant with my son at age 34.

Sue, who resumed her competitive tennis pursuits after her three children were in elementary school, shares my love of a sport that has bonded us as sisters and been a source of exercise, entertainment, and enjoyment for our family since we were little kids.

I have to admit that I’ve never thought that much about Title IX, but without it, Sue and I (and many others) might not have gotten hooked on tennis and be playing on championship league teams all these years later.

And I wonder how many 62- and 64-year-olds still compete in the sport they played in high school? Maybe golf club leagues or masters swimming, but probably not basketball, softball, or field hockey. Or soccer. 

So Sue and I (pictured here) re lucky. Lucky that we chose a sport for life and can still physically run around the court pounding balls all year long. Lucky that we’ve made lots of friends through tennis.

Those who promoted Title IX fought for equality. Who’d have thought that it also would impact the quality of life for women as they got older?

And if you’d told my high school self that I would be playing competitive tennis at age 62, I probably wouldn’t have believed it. But here I am. Thank you, Title IX.