(00:00:00) Hi, I'm J.G. Preston in this portfolio has been a change in leadership in the women's Intercollegiate athletics department at the University of Minnesota earlier this summer merrily Dean Baker resigned as director to take it administrative post at the NCAA a replacement is Chris volts who comes to the U of M from the University of Oregon in Eugene where she was associate director of a combined men's and women's athletic department. She starts her job at the you officially next month and Chris bolts is my guest today on Sports folio to talk about women in sports and particularly women in college sports. And our phone number for your questions is 2276 thousand 2276 thousand the number to call here on sport folio. Let me be miserable day here in the Twin Cities only 81 degrees who said with a chortle but 72 percent relative humidity had dew point of 70 one just awful. But Chris volts is in bucolic Eugene, Oregon where Chris I trust it's a much nicer day, (00:01:13) you know, it is a nice day. It's a cast but it's going to break out into a very sunny afternoon here in the Willamette Valley. (00:01:21) Well, you better get your last looks and now Chris cause you're going to be one of us pretty soon, huh? (00:01:24) Well, that's right. I am excited to see what's ahead in Minnesota. Of course, I get to trade off a many things. I'm looking outside my window over a something we call a Butte and I think you folks call it a mountain. But at any rate, I'm ready to take on your lakes and the excitement and challenges of humans. Let excited Minnesota (00:01:49) Wendy actually move out here Chris and start your own job (00:01:51) over here out on the 30th and get organized on the 31st and start on the (00:01:56) first he'll be here in time for the end of the State Fair. Anyway, it's important. That's right. Can you get these cultural landmarks get reoriented to your new home exactly this be your first experience in the midwest Chris. (00:02:06) No really. It will not I grew up as a Midwestern. ER my folks have lived in the Illinois suburbs for quite some time and I went to high school in suburbs of Chicago and then did my undergraduate work as well as becoming a student athlete at Illinois State University did some my graduate work at Northern Illinois at the same time that I was a high school teacher and Coach again in the suburbs of Chicago. So it wasn't until 1978 that I went out to the West Coast and have been here ever since (00:02:38) you haven't been out there long enough to be totally (00:02:40) corrupted. I guess if that's what you call it (00:02:45) his own, you (00:02:46) know. Really were amazed to think that I would be coming back to the Midwest because I had become such a kind of a West Coast kid, but but truly a unsolicited so many people say that if you're going to live in the midwest Minneapolis is the place to live. So I think that that luck has shined my way (00:03:05) to to 76 thousand is our number to call on sport folio here were talking to the new director of women's Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Minnesota Chris volts. If you have questions about women in sports, she's a good person to ask two two seven six thousand is our phone number. Well Chris you're coming from a program at Oregon where the the men's and women's Intercollegiate programs are combined and I guess that's really become the rule rather than the exception across the country. Now, you're going to be heading up a separate women's program at Minnesota. Could you talk about the advantages and disadvantages of combined programs and what you see the future holding in store at Minnesota (00:03:37) sure. I certainly can fortunately I've served in A little bit of a separate program in that when I first came here there it was in the first year of being combined and the last 10 years of serving in emerged program leads me to believe that the alternative model that of separate programs is really a very viable model. Now I say that not because organ was bad to me or that it was bad for women because in fact the people make the difference and we had a system which which worked very well for us in a combined Department. However, I am committed to the actualization of women's talents and potential and quite frankly you have diminished realization of that within a combined apartment. You have you have one boss and that boss Across the Nation it division one football playing school is a mail to the person then you many times you'll have an associate and I was fortunate enough to be Plucked out as the associated Oregon where I did oversee everything from football Maintenance and Facilities to game event management to academics and to budget overall the whole department as well as sports program. But rarely do you have that usually you have three Associates and and two men act on behalf of the athletic director when the male athletic directors gone in the woman takes care of of of household things and and a while that is manageable kind of a model and wow philosophies can be such that it makes it work as it has worked. Well at Oregon the fact is that you really do under realize the potential of many of your fine women leaders and sometimes your women student athletes because there are always choices to be made who shall we feature who shall we talk about who shall we honor who shall we allowed to lead who shall be chair of this committee? Who shall be the spokesperson for us? And what happens is many times. They they can't have the mindset Across the Nation. And in fact, there will be a man and a woman who represents them. And I think what we've seen is we've seen a lot of positions change. We've seen a lot of assistance become women and a lot of heads of areas be they sports information or weight training or medical treatment have become the men so it hasn't been a merge. I mean one is taken over the other it hasn't been a joint partnership and because of that, of course the alternative model I think is exciting. I not only think it's exciting but I think that it's the future way to go. There are many people out there and much has merely Baker at Minnesota found and brought along that are passionate about women in sports and many times those people do not rise to the top in emerge Department because Most of the marketing and targeting is set to the booster who may well be devoted to Men's Football men's basketball because they are paying the bills for everyone. So what really happens is the alternative which could very well work and be not only healthy and actualizing for women, but could eventually be on a pretty stable Financial base is not even thought of because people are too busy trying to make the money to run both programs. (00:07:14) Will you fight it Minnesota Chris to keep the women's Intercollegiate Department separate from the man's (00:07:18) oh sure I certainly will and when when I took the job I did get a commitment from presidents our and from Bob Stein that in fact there would be a lot of dialogue before that subject would be brought up because certainly it would be of no avail to me to leave a number two job in Oregon for a number two job in Minnesota. It was on A number one job that I was seeking. And and I don't think that's just good for Chris voles. It's good for many many women who want to be head coaches and head sports information directors and head athletic treatment people in weight trainers. A lot of people in fundraising who want to be able to actualize their talents in really believe in what may well be seen as a special interest group, but it's something that where I was concerned with I'm sure that the University was concerned because it was a time in which many of your critics come out and say hey, this is a great time merge the department. Hmm But I think that they have seen enough sense to the fact that they're building a base and they can do so better separate than they can together and particularly universities, you know, we are about growth and development. We are about learning lessons and and really reflecting those kinds of Educational values so what better place to expound upon equality what better place to mirror people reaching their potential then in the University so I can see if we were in fact a business and pure Sports business a professional team that in fact we there would be no need for us to say. Well we need to have a women's softball team in a men's baseball team completely separate, you know, you would just be off on your own. So at any rate, I'm reassured that there's a commitment there to keep the program separate to have them actualize and then before any changes are made way down the road and of course the at least five eight years was what I heard presents our say in terms of before what I believed even that dialogue would occur. (00:09:37) I have to apologize Chris. Do you pronounce your last name voles without the T (00:09:39) sound? Yes, it's voles. On like roles, but vole German name. I got to fit into all those minnesotans there. (00:09:50) Hey, don't listen. He's up. I'll do it. Right Chris voles right director of women's Intercollegiate Athletics at the U of M has our guest on sport folio this afternoon on ksjn 1330 13 minutes afternoon. I'm J.G. Preston Chris roughly what percentage at least of the division one football schools, what percentage of those departments are still separate for men and women as Minnesota's (00:10:10) oh my to my knowledge. There are only five in the whole nation really 5 out of what more than a hundred and fifty two hundred schools. Yeah, and those five are Texas Tennessee, Cal, Iowa and Minnesota and I think it's very interesting to note that those five programs are all very successful. (00:10:33) Yes, certainly, Texas in Tennessee and in the most visible of women's sports, I guess basketball have been right near the top every year as long as I can (00:10:39) remember. That's right. (00:10:41) And Cal I'm no has strong programs and volleyball and softball and some of the other real prominent Sports. (00:10:47) Yeah, they've held their own in. Well, which would say some of the West Coast or warm climate Sports the tennis and the gulf and the swimming have always been very high. So you see those schools that have really made a made a commitment and they really have done a lot for women. (00:11:04) What kind of savings are involved in running a joint Department Chris as far as positions that are eliminated money that saved you have any real grip on (00:11:12) that? Yeah, you know, I think a lot less savings than we think I think that if you want to run quality Equitable program the fact is that there are very few savings. If in fact you want to run a merge program where the women become second-class then you can save you can save in terms of some director positions. In other words an area director may make 10,000 more than his or her assistant and we all know That usually it's a hit it is a he and the assistant as a woman and this is not not to condemn people's choices, but just to say this is what's been happening. So sure there are savings to be made were many of them might be making a more similar salary if they were separate the fact is is that once someone becomes an assistant and someone else has the hierarchy of an image of a director there changes in money. Otherwise, I think that Minnesota has really worked out some fine things where they have emerged some areas whether it be in ticket sales or event management where the women pay the portion that that they need to pay to take care of their events and yet the men pay their portion and I think that that that that is a good prorated type of system rather than duplicating every effort but the fact is that there is much duplication to be done when in fact there is Equal commitment to the programming. So I you know, I wish I could I could say oh, well, we saved hundreds of thousands of money at Oregon because we were merged but the fact is is that we were always adding on fundraiser positions to try to raise more money for all of us. We were always adding on positions all over the place and and I'm not so certain that we really did. In fact save that much we may well have saved some in bulk purchasing where who knows maybe you bulk purchasing paper for the copying machine or your bulk purchasing workout shorts, but in my mind those that's a small price to pay for the self actualization of women. (00:13:26) Let's talk about where the money comes from for a little bit at Minnesota and I think very wisely so the women's Intercollegiate program is funded to a great extent by the state legislature, but when you get involved in a joint program, like you've had it Oregon is that the case where the the men's program has to generate through You to pay for the women's program as well. (00:13:42) Exactly. And I think that that even now when I talk to my athletic director here, you know, you were kidding about well, what would it take to keep me here? And one of the things was we let's make it a separate program so that we can go forward and my contention was that maybe the state legislature would come forward and fund women where they are very suspect about ever funding men and women. Mmm, just because of the disproportionate negative publicity that that men have either earned or got an unearned (00:14:16) even an organ. Pardon me even in Oregon. (00:14:19) Unfortunately, the media has not told all the good news stories, you know controversy sells more newspapers and so it's been a difficult. So even here so at Oregon all of our money comes from donations gate receipts, Incidental fee and that's from the student registration fee and then pac-10 money such as Rose Bowl and television and so forth. So we have no State funding no University funding whatsoever. We do it all on donations about 17% gate receipts about 40% incidental fee about 18% and so forth (00:15:05) and frankly, that's one of my problems with the whole structure of men's Intercollegiate Sports. Is it when it becomes a self sufficiency type of thing, it's a real Snowball Effect. I think the temptation to all to bend the rules do things under the table, whatever when you have to generate the money to save your job. It really puts on a lot more of that kind of (00:15:24) pressure. Well, you know, it sends an incredibly mixed message. It says you we will not treat you similarly to the other educational Endeavors. It says when in fact there is legislative support and University support. Really are saying you are an extension of our academic arena, you are part and parcel to our educational process. But when you say I'm sorry, there is no money. You must get it through only donations in Gate receipts which in most environments are very dependent on winning. Then you become the you have the disproportionate winning at all cost attitude and it is it is I agree with you Jay. It's a it's an incredibly mixed message because then what happens is the control and decision-making and values of that program becomes based within the hands of a very few people who have some resources and it doesn't become a reflection of an institution or or in fact the populace of a state. (00:16:27) Mmm-hmm. I mean, there are certainly I'm not saying that the legislature should fund a 10 million dollar men's Intercollegiate program. Like we haven't Minnesota. I mean, I would certainly favor things like reducing the number of scholarship football players from 92 something a little More in line or maybe not having a nine-man football coaching staff, but I think you hit the key issue. There is that whatever the figure is unless it becomes part of the University budgeting process. You are yielding control and that's I think why presidents and chief Executives look around today and wonder why they don't have control of the system will maybe that's (00:16:57) why and you know, I think what has to happen at them. CERN to say that the Minnesota men should cut back on football scholarships and yet try to make up for all of their revenue really puts them at a disadvantage. And so what has to happen is the president's either need to join forces and nationally legislate or they need to find out a way that the universities can can in fact fund those programs so that we don't have that disparate influence that that leads us in otherwise uncanny directions. (00:17:34) What kind of overall budget are you taking over in the women's department at the U of M here Chris. (00:17:37) I'm taking over 2.7 million dollar budget and that 2.7 of course does have a lot of administrative expenses compared to what would be about a million spent on women's sports programs alone at Oregon. But again, there's a we don't factor in how much administrative overhead there is in emerged program that kind of Gets consumed so while I was overseeing an eight point seven million dollar budget that fluctuated 29.2 during the year at Oregon. I'll be overseeing a 2.7 at Minnesota and yet certainly the the buck will stop with me. So I won't be number two overseeing the budget and charge of the budget committee. But instead will be responsible for that two point seven which course I look forward to and I basically really icy. Part of my goal is to give our coaches enough resources so that they can in fact succeed and offer the finest opportunities we can for our student-athletes. (00:18:45) We're talking with Chris voles the new women's Intercollegiate Athletics director at the University of Minnesota. I'm J.G. Preston and you're listening to sport folio on ksjn 1330. Our phone number for your questions for Chris is 2276 thousand Chris. I'll put in the weekly disclaimer. Nobody ever calls us before. Because minnesotans eat between 12:00 and 12:30. (00:19:03) Okay, I won't take it personally. (00:19:05) You shouldn't at 12:30. They have a nice belt and they pick up the telephone and the calls start flooding inside. It says this is no reflection on your her position 2276 thousand eight when you put down that sandwich is the number to call here on sport folio. See it go to hit the phones ringing right now. Well hit to this collar and just second and just a people know Chris. How many sports do you have it within the women's program at the you? (00:19:25) Yes, we have nine of them at University of Minnesota and it is very much a good proportion of team sports individual sports different types of sports for all kinds of athletes indoors and Outdoors. We of course start with volleyball and cross-country this fall and then winter go into swimming and gymnastics and basketball and then in the spring go into track and field and softball and tennis and golf. That should do it is man for seven. F 9i - (00:20:02) that's right. Well, no sooner have I spoken in three phone lines of lit up here. So let's go to the calls and get some of your questions for Chris bowls here on sport folio. Our first caller is in South Minneapolis. Hi. Well, thanks for calling (00:20:13) you bet. I just finished lunch. So I thought hey my feeling is that the future of any athletic Collegiate athletic department is currently in the elementary school and junior high school and high school and I'm wondering if Chris keeps informed on any changing cultural values for athletics in the younger grades. And if there's a place for college athletic director and in developing that and change it. Well, I think that is part of our responsibility to not only be in touch with what ends up being a feeder system, but I don't mean that in a negative way as the we are some kind of farm team. I mean that in a very positive way. A and then I think that I would certainly hope that myself my coaching staff my administrators in our student athletes would in fact serve as Role Models role models for the elementary and the junior high and high school people and I say that role models for both boys and girls. I know that in the past, I've had a speaker's Bureau set up through our athletic department. I certainly would want to have one at University of Minnesota in which case whether it be elementary junior high or high school assembly programs or Banquets or class projects, whatever we might serve in terms of being a service and speaker's Bureau for those people. So II definitely feel that in order for us to make Society changes. We can't just sit in a college environment and say well things are changing for us. We have to offer the model and then we have to get out there and do some work so that it becomes a In all daily mind opening and awareness raising so that the seven-year-old doesn't have to be called a tomboy just because she happens to want to play baseball during recess instead of hopscotch. And again, I was the Tomboy so I can really relate to the kinds of restrictions Society gave me throughout my life and yet those restrictions that I fortunately did not have given by my family. (00:22:29) We should add a little perspective here Chris you went to high school in the mid-60s went to college in the late 60s and early 70s, right? Not that long ago but times have certainly changed for women in sports, (00:22:39) right? You know, I was the one who went out for a little league team and made it in and one of my brother's didn't and that was a big family rivalry because girls weren't supposed to play. That's great. And then I proceeded to be locked out of Jim's after my brother's love picking me on the team. In the neighborhood because I was always such a good athlete and then I as I as I grew up I didn't understand why I couldn't play just like my brothers could and ironic as it is it ended up that was two boys and two girls in our family. The two girls played college ball boys didn't and we were all for happy productive college students and our parents equally proud of all four of us. (00:23:24) Do you find Chris that the the stigma of being involved in sports for young girls? Is that really gone now? Where is MI? Just deluding myself and wishing it were gone. (00:23:32) Well, you know, it's going I shouldn't say it's gone because I think that as soon as as people are less Vigilant about protecting values and making certain activities permissive then I think that the pendulum swings and and the old values creep in and and and and just tie themselves onto history and and are not as permissive, but I think that we should not be idle. I think that everything has changed. Just just when I hear some kids say, you know God she's an All-American kid. She plays baseball. She's on the homecoming Court, you know, they talk like that. I also hear somebody say, well, you know, you wouldn't go out with her. She's you know, she can beat you in sports. Mmm. So so I hear and Adolescence can be very cruel to one another and I hope that we just keep on getting the message out to little boys and little girls that each of them should do what makes them happy and that they're talented pursuing. (00:24:34) Hmm back to the phones to get some more your questions for Chris voles here on sport folio. She's the new director of women's Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Minnesota. We're going to Minneapolis. Hi Margaret. (00:24:44) Hello. My question I think ties into what has just been said What can be done to make the media and fans take women's athletic seriously? well, you know, I think a couple things one is that that that the people Who are the consumer the consumers need to speak out newspapers? If newspapers get the idea that is many parents of girls and women athletes are reading the sports Pages as parents of boys and men and they get the message by virtue of phone calls subscription renewal or cancellation. I think that in fact the media will get the message. I think that for for you to congratulate this station to say these people are really KS. Is it K SK n (00:25:46) ksjn you had three out of four though Chris, it's good. (00:25:49) Okay, I'm getting there but to congratulate the station to write a letter someplace and say these people are doing a great job. They have sought out a woman in athletics to share with their public for an hour. They are mirroring values. That they want to be perpetuated and I think the consumer ship should call in and say that's great and they should spread the word to other media sources. There's an amazing amount of power in the consumer ship and almost more power certainly than someone who does it for a living I do I happen to do it for a loving rather than a living but what happens is for me to call and say, you know, we're just not featuring The Women enough. Well, I have an investment in that and they say well sure that's that's normal that she would say that but if you call and you say I want to see women's volleyball on television, I want to see women swimmers interviewed, you know, we really want to talk to the that great picture on the softball team and we want that name to be as as perhaps not as as known as a Kirby Puckett, but we certainly want to have somebody becomes some household names then I think the consumer Have a lot to do with it. (00:27:07) And you know Chris. I find that this is already changing fairly rapidly on the the Grassroots local level. I mean I've in part of my life. I have worked with stations in other communities around the state smaller stations in smaller towns, and I find rapidly it's becoming more of a 50-50 broadcast proposition that they're putting as much time into broadcasting women's high school sports as they are in into the into the boys programs. I find that the newspapers at the local level are devoting as much space to covering the high school girls as they are the boys and because right there the accountability is so much more direct and and the you know, the numbers the numbers of boys and girls involved they're growing so close and then there that's where the need is and they're responding to that. I don't think the media is unresponsive to that type of (00:27:48) Interest. No, I think that they're getting much much better and I think that they will get better on the college level and I think that the fans will get better. I think that there's nothing better than than a parent or a fan having someone related to them. Who's an athlete it does one. You know I've talked to to what otherwise would be considered just male chauvinist who who have just only been focused to men's Athletics and all of a sudden they get it. They have a niece or they get a daughter. It couldn't changes things. Doesn't it? Oh my gosh, all of a sudden they want them to have that experience and yet it's amazing. What what those kinds of just subtleties do (00:28:30) It is 12:30 to here on ksjn 1330 Minneapolis. St. Paul are listening this portfolio. I'm J.G. Preston 81 degrees in the Twin towns with the in the very uncomfortable dew point of 70 1 and we have about a 50% chance of some kind of showers or thunderstorms later on today brief heavy rainfall is possible in parts of the Metro. It will get a little warmer maybe around 86 winds will be out of the South to Southwest at 15 to 25 miles an hour still a chance of showers and thunderstorms tonight, maybe about a 30% chance. I don't know about rain for tomorrow, but it will be humid and hot once again with a high around 90 degrees my guest this afternoon is Chris voles who's the director of women's Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Minnesota. She formally takes over the position on September 1, but she's been hired and approved by the Board of Regents. She takes place in merrily Baker who's already taken a job at the NCAA and one of their higher administrative positions 2276 thousand is our phone number on sport folio. We got some lines lit up and we have a couple free yet 2276 thousand if you have a question for Chris voles will go to Bloomington. X-gene thank you so much for waiting (00:29:32) patiently. Good morning. I want to welcome Kristin Minnesota. Minnesota has just about everything that anybody would want to offer I'd like to make a statement and then I have a question. We no longer purchased Minnesota football or basketball tickets. We are so totally turned off and fed up with what's going on over there. Hmm my husband and son still do get hockey tickets. My question is and I you may have covered this this morning what our Christmas feelings on student-athletes maintaining a grade average to stay in school. And why does it seem that? They can't get rid of them or they keep them when they don't do this and what kind of rules and regulations and I do want to hang up so I can hear her answer. (00:30:20) Thank you, very good topic of discussion Gene the the balance between Athletics and academics both I guess from your incoming freshman and what you expect of them once they arrive on campus. (00:30:30) Would you mean first of all thank you for welcoming me to Minnesota. I've just been so impressed by the kind of hospitality. I've received even at this distance. So I hope that sometime when you're in the stands for women's volleyball game or off at the golf course for cross country meet that you work your way through the crowd and and introduce yourself to me personally because I do hope that people will be with us celebrating the activities of our women your question about the grade point average in the academic prowess and so forth. Let me say to just general statements one is that I firmly believe that academics and Athletics can be intertwined. You know, I was one of the last three sport athlete so I went from season to season to season. I was fortunate enough to have good enough grades to be able to to to carry that load but it does it can be intertwined. We asked an Wall mount of our students in our college classes and we ask an incredible amount of time and commitment in athletics, but we're not talking about the normal person. We're talking about an exceptional person who happens to be talented. Some of them are more talented in athletics than academics, but we should never be at a point where they are so below average in academics that they in fact do not belong in higher education and that and there are some people who just don't belong in higher education. The unfortunate thing is that our system except for baseball and as a men's sport really doesn't have an alternative for a high school kid just to go on and become an (00:32:16) athlete that's where I think that you and women's sports have a great Advantage because men's football and basketball have the burden of being the only point of entry to very lucrative professional careers. (00:32:25) So what we do is we have a group of people who really do not have delusions. Grandeur for the most part they may well have goals to be an Olympian. They may well have goals to be on the and the world University games Pan Am team, but in fact it would maybe maybe a professional golfer or tennis player here there but the fact is for the most part they are saying I really do want not only the balance but I want the merging of my Athletics and academics and I want a degree and they have been reinforced throughout their years that the degree means something and that they should work equally hard in the classroom as on the court or the gymnasium. So I think first of all it's a it's a mindset about what we've allowed people to think, you know, we've somehow allowed some athletes to think that that system of higher education doesn't belong to them and the fact is is that Agreements are made and it does belong to them and they need to work hard at it you are going to have Proportion of athletes that are that mirror your student population and that is they don't make it you would wonder if every single one of them made it because not every single one of the students who go to Minnesota make it so you you want to make sure that it's comparison and relative to your student body. But in my mind Gene, we really need to further that commitment we need to say there are there's a certain level of expectations so that you can in fact be a legitimate student before you can represent us as a student-athlete Big Ten rules are in effect academically University rules should be in effect and we need it need to hold them accountable. (00:34:15) Correct me if I'm wrong Chris, but Big Ten rules, they require a c average past the freshman year to maintain eligibility. (00:34:21) You know, I shouldn't quote it. You know, I read the handbook quickly on my way to the interview. But so I had a grasp of the concepts but I'm not certain. I think that that is correct though and I'll be glad to get you that information later. (00:34:35) Are they the same rules for men and women in the Big Ten? Do you know? Yes as far as I know they are I think that's the men's room. Anyways, right has the freshman year or so you average plus progress toward a degree 2276 thousand is our phone number on sport folio. Chris voles is our guest we're going to st. Paul. Hi Jim. Hey, J.G. And Chris a sort of related question to the to the last one, you know, you say the women don't you know have delusions of grandeur in you know, thinking of very lucrative Pro careers, but you'd probably it would be nice if they did I suppose. I mean if there was a situation where there was, you know, tremendous professional opportunity and and also if you know there were, you know, filling up the stand for you know, a big womens basketball game or something like that and I imagine that must, you know be a goal of yours. (00:35:20) Oh, yes. Well, then what then how do you I guess, you know using the current men's football and basketball problems, (00:35:28) you know. (00:35:30) Seeing what has happened with the (00:35:31) corruption in the hypocrisy that the seems to crop up it practically every big big-time School. How can a women's program learn from those mistakes and not you know, if they do ever get to the point where it's at. The college sport is really a lucrative field that you don't get the boosters getting in there and screwing things up for this. Yeah. That's a very good question because I too have wondered if if women sports do grow in fan interest in Revenue if they'll only grow to face the same problems the men do right now. (00:36:04) Well, let me answer that on a few fronts. First of all, certainly I'm sensitive to the fact that I may have used the words incorrectly in terms of saying that they don't have any delusions of grandeur. I think that their ultimate goals have not been disproportionate right now and they've still valued their education because you know, there are many many high school kids who dream of being in the pros playing football and men's basketball and the fact is Very very few percentage maked so I think that the women are more realistic now, that's not to say that I do not wish them to have Pro careers. I would be tickled to death if the populace demanded that next level. Of course, you know, your your professional volleyball has made it in Minnesota Minneapolis. They've done an outstanding job. And of course those franchises are being brought up and I hope that that has a healthy long-term commitment not only on television but in the stands so that the population can pick and choose what they would like to see and the student athlete who's not yet ready to sit down and start her career or her family can in fact play ball and can enjoy doing so for many reasons. I think that what happens really in terms of this whole balance is that people make mistakes when they are young and I mean that the message doesn't Hit them when they're a senior in college or a freshman in college. The fact is that many athletes from the time they were in junior high have thought that they were something different and I think that somehow we've got to get across to them that they are much similar to the fine oboist there much similar to the person in drama and while they may all be more right brain than left brain than the scientist or the or the mathematician the fact is is that that they're not going to be able to be always the exception to the rules. They need to take classes. They need to maintain certain competency levels and of course proposition 48 which we pass in the NCAA legislation some years ago or just a few years ago is saying just that it's saying don't don't have this charade on this High School athlete and hand us an athlete who is not a student instead. They need to have In core classes Core Curriculum that has some kind of Preparatory statement for what they can handle in college. They need to have had a certain sat testing level. They need to make sure they proved that they can be a student athlete. So I think that while sometimes I am not for over-regulation, we have a problem. And so I think the only way you get rid of this problem now is to do some regulation in some legislation that will in fact not just impact college kids but trickle down and send that message to the junior highs in the high schools that you need to take this duel commitment very seriously. (00:39:09) So because you don't have the problems in women's sports right now, you have to be very conscious of continuing to send that message loud and clear in and keeping that (00:39:16) perspective. Exactly. And I think that we've got to be very sensitive to the one thing that the university is do to protect and promote the values of the institution is to hire the right people. And I'm really committed to that you hire the right people and hold them accountable and it's amazing what can happen. I think that when it gets so far removed that no one is holding anybody accountable then in fact the values of the institution can Wayne (00:39:47) and you're referring I supposed to two coaches in their recruiting practices. (00:39:50) Sure Mmm Yeah, I think that if a Coach is going to recruit a marginal student who happens to be a great athlete they've got to have unbelievable commitment that that person is going to take classes. Seriously that they've recognized that they have a weakness that they're going to be not only in attendance, but they're going to be working as hard or harder on that proportion of their commitment as their athletic one and that that the athletic director then we'll say will be well aware of that kind of an exception. And in fact that will have to be a project of that athletic department as well as that student athlete it cannot be somewhere once they're in the school then it's just what what can that actually do for us on the playing field? It's instead now. Wait a minute. What is this dual commitment? And what can at that athlete do for his or herself as a (00:40:46) student? Have you had a chance yet? Chris to talk at length with at least the head coaches at Minnesota. (00:40:51) You know, I have not yet met all of them during my interview process. I feel that questions from many of them and I was very impressed. I'm impressed with their their vision of wanting to really keep and sustain this effort that they've made in terms of a good graduation rate in terms of real fine citizens that our student athletes are and they seem to be very positive committed professionals. And that certainly was one of the attractive things about the job was the fact that the chance to work with so many fine coaches and hopefully bring them not only the resources but the leadership and direction for us to pursue even even greater excellence in terms of athletic performance. (00:41:41) It's a quarter to one here on ksjn 1330. The program is portfolio. I'm J.G. Preston and Chris bowls as my guest. She's the new director of women's Intercollegiate Athletics at the U of M. 2276 thousand is our phone number. Our next caller is in Minneapolis. Hello Nancy. (00:41:56) Hello. I'm calling to ask Chris if she has any influence over the dance line at the University. I realized that's not one of the actual women's Athletics, but I am concerned and I know many other people are about the image of young women students that this projects at all the public basketball games and many other events and I'd like her comments about that Nancy I missed the first thing. Was it the dance. Line, that's right the dance line (00:42:26) whether or not you have any Authority or influence over its (00:42:28) activities. I think you're projecting an image of of okay - and I'm not doubting the sincerity of the young women who participate it seems that it's neither a part of being a college student or being an athlete at one of the basketball games last winter there was during the halftime an introduction of the scholar athletes at the University and perhaps two dozen young men were introduced and immediately following their introduction the dance line prance back out on the floor. There were no women introduced The Scholar athletes and it's just not a good message. I don't feel for the University to be projecting. Well, I take it. This was at a men's basketball game. (00:43:12) Yes, that's right. That's (00:43:13) right. Okay. Well, you know, first of all, I think that being a separate Department any specific feedback should go directly to their director, but as just influencing, I'm sure that whether it be hoga Christensen and myself or the the new athletic director in myself, I would expect If he is hearing from the public things about my program that he would say. Oh Chris, by the way, this is what I'm picking up and he would share it with me and conversely I would hope that he would be open to the other knowing that we're all going to make decisions that reflect what we think are best for our department that may be something that we both decide. We're going to we chat about and say hey, let's do this combined. You know, let's let's show all the men and all the women scholar athletes at at both the men's and the women's events or maybe maybe the men will say, well, you know, it's our event and we would rather keep keep it short and have you honor it separately in which case then we would go forth and do that. And again, I'm Nancy I'll have to get in there and assess the situation but I would say that if you have any strong feelings about how women are being represented and then that you should go to whoever is really in charge of that program and just let them know. (00:44:35) Did you have a chance to spend much time with Holger Christensen when you were here earlier Chris to develop some kind of relationship with him? (00:44:41) Yes. I just think he's a wonderful gentlemen, not only did I have lunch with them during my interview process. But then after I flew in for my press conference, we missed each other at that visit but the following week I went to Big Ten meetings and at the Big Ten meetings, I was able to have dinner with he and his wife dag and just shared a lot of information and I was so encouraged everything that the associate director Donna Olson and other people had said about Holger in terms of being a man of integrity and a solid worker and very Cooperative collaborative kind of leader. I found to be very true. So I'm really looking forward to working with him (00:45:26) due to seven six thousand is our phone number in sponsz portfolio, and we're going to Minneapolis again. Hi Michael. (00:45:32) Hi. Thank you for the chance. On the are good topic good show. I wanted to tell you about some success we've had here in my day care. I'm a daycare provider in Minneapolis. We have been introducing children to women's Athletics over at the University. We have kids in our daycare from babies up to age 12. And so we have a chance to bring both preschoolers and school-age children over there and the kids really like it. I've bought a bunch of tickets and I've taken them to the gymnastics meets and basketball and over to see the track and field and and also the softball games and they were real popular. We also brought the kids over to see some practices and track and field practices and some gymnastics practice where they could actually meet the athletes and I have to say that the women were really receptive they really like meeting the kids and they Ejected a very positive image and I think the children sort of got the idea that that could be them someday being at the University and I told them they should all work on getting athletic scholarships. Well Michael, I think you certainly to be commended because many people don't think of us as being one of those real positive role models right off the bat. They think you've got to turn on the television and see a Pro Sport but boy anytime we can have those young kids. Come on over. I think it works both ways. They learn a little bit about what they could do, whether it's being a college athlete or being a fan as a college student if they're not as talented as they would like to be and then our kids our student athletes. Also learn that that they are positive role models for youths. Oh boy, you're on the right track and we appreciate your interest in values. I did have one other comment though. I was some I'm still working on the Care parents. I haven't really converted them when I was taking the kids last year to see a Minnesota Twins game. There was a great deal of excitement and a lot of parents wanted to participate but to this date in two years of taking the kids to see the women's Athletics. I've had very little positive feedback from the parents only one of them has really made a point of telling me that she really liked it and really approved and although we have great parents and our daycare. Sometimes I get the feeling that if it's not really going to help the kids to compete with the Germans or the Japanese when they get bigger, you know that they're that they're not really sure what they think of it. I was a little disappointed in that if I was willing to do the driving and it was during daycare hours. They all wanted to be involved. But if it was on the weekend and I said, let's all meet over at the women's softball game and then have a picnic. Two words pretty much. Nobody would come so I had to give up on the parents because they too are probably becoming educated and again if there's anything that my staff can do to facilitate that you know, let me know Michael but don't give up on them. You know, I always thought that you know apples ripen at a different rate than peaches do right. So you just never know when somebody might just click and go boy. He's really doing something very valuable. It's not as socially popular to say maybe that you went to X game than the Minnesota Twins game, but but I think that the that the substance is surely there. So we needed this not give up on and out endure him. We our staff has been great and we won't give up. Thanks a lot. Great. Thank you. Thanks (00:49:19) for the call Michael. And I think we'll find that of course attitudes appearance I guess is a key as far as how young girls feel about Athletics and I think we'll find that the attitudes appearance will change rapidly as the parents themselves change. I mean, I went to high school in the mid-70s and certainly I Used to girls that age having a lot more opportunities and maybe you were when you grew up Chris and I know that the kids were going to high school now in the mid-80s are getting a whole another picture of it. It just gets better as it goes (00:49:44) along right? (00:49:46) You've got something kind of exciting coming up at the U of M this winter. I know Chris you've got the NCAA division one Volleyball championship coming up at Williams arena in December. Maybe can talk about that for a little (00:49:54) bit. Oh, yeah. We are so excited about this and you know, it's kind of ironic in that. I'm on the NCAA division one women's volleyball National Committee. What a coincidence (00:50:05) what a coincidence (00:50:06) I know so I was in at University of Minnesota this spring I believe it was in April and I was there on the site inspection. So are they flew in our home a tional committee? And we're the ones who make the team selections of who gets into the tournament when we select the site and then we of course carry out the championship. Well little did I know is I was walking through Williams Arena and doing the site site inspection and everything that I would be the one on the other. End of it and it truly is exciting. The staff is doing a great job. We already have several thousand tickets sold and we're of course. We'd like to get up into some ten twelve thousand tickets to be sold. So we've still got lots of tickets left, but we think that for such a reasonable price to see the the nation's very finest in one of the the most excellent spectator sports. We think that it's really going to go and of course it will be coming off of some fine Olympic television viewing the Olympics have chosen volleyball is one of their top five television sports and I think that the public is going to see some volleyball on television and we hope them they will turn around and and for $18 can get two nights of wonderful Volleyball championship play it (00:51:29) Minnesota in the best best women's volleyball in the country very likely will be wounds with what one of the (00:51:34) So that Chris it's both December 15th and December 17th. And on the 15th, which is a Thursday. There are two semifinal match matches one at six o'clock and one and eight thirty and then on Saturday the 17th, there's that day rest in between for the athletes. Then we have the championship match at 7:30 that night and I cannot think of a more exciting Christmas gift than to to give season tickets, you know to whether it be a boss giving them to his or her office staff and families because this truly can be a family activity. It's something where they'll see some of the finest female athletes in the nation. You'll see athletes who will be competing on our Olympic teams in the next two Olympic two or three olympiads you'll you know, you'll hear the bands playing and the people from all over the nation coming in to cheer us on (00:52:32) Let's go back to the phones here on sport folio with Chris voles and Ellsworth. Hi. Thanks for calling (00:52:36) Hi. How are you? Good a two-part question. I want to know what Chris thinks of the intent or purpose of the letter the athletic letter of intent and under what circumstances if the athlete changes his mind. Should that agreement between up? Okay. What was your name again, sir? Ellsworth Ellsworth? Okay, and your question was what do I believe about the athletic letters and in are of intent and what the interpretation or purpose or not? Yeah, that's basically it. Well, the recruiting process is starting at such a young age. Now that I really feel that the student athlete can find out an incredible amount about her future and where she will best fit and I think that whether it be a year or two years of looking or whether it be just a month the student athlete is deluged with a lot of information and whether it be written or verbal they make visits and they they do a lot of assessment and I think that it may well be a confusing frustrating kind of experience for some and just an absolute Joy Ride for others where they're just so excited. Decided that all of their work has been realized in the in the form of a letter of intent and of course a college scholarship, but I think notwithstanding all of that as a lead up the fact is that once an athlete signs a letter of intent. I really believe that it is binding and although it's a one-year renewable letter of intent where within those four years then I think there can be some compromises made with some exceptional circumstances that there is there is Need for be be she and 18 year old or a nineteen-year-old to make a decision and our system is built upon Agreements are our coaches have certain number of scholarships. We have a certain time period in which we may sign athletes. And so what it's based upon is a regulated National agreement wear it during this time of the year. People make agreements and then after that time of the year, you wait till the next year and it's done so so that we don't have everyone changing their mind throughout the entire year. And in fact being in a situation where a student athletes are in a way disadvantaged where I turned down to kids because I thought that the third one has signed with me and in fact, if the third one changes her mind and in the other two have already committed to their second and third choices and they really wanted to go to Minnesota then we've disadvantaged them. So I think that it's it's a regulated thing that has to occur and I think that the students and the the prospective student athlete and the parents should not take it lightly at all. They should really consider everything about it and they should take the amount of time it needs to think about it and if it comes The point where they say, you know, I cannot make my (00:55:58) decision Chris we have to go. I'm sorry. Oh, I'm sorry. It's been a fun hour. I look forward to meeting you when you get out here. (00:56:04) Well, it went quickly and I appreciate all your interest and we hope to see you in the stands and are in the office area. (00:56:09) Thanks very much. Chris Bowls. The new director of women's Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Minnesota are guests on sport folio. Thanks to David O'Neill Sue winking Jeff walking everybody else. I'm J.G. Preston. See you again. Same time next week here on ksjn 1330 Minneapolis. St. Paul couple seconds will be one o'clock World a national news is next from the Associated Press and then right after that the week in review.