In light of the most recent accomplishments, international coverage and record-breaking TV viewing of the Women's World Cup and the USA's title, CoSIDA takes a look back at a most significant moment in its history, which also was a signature moment in college women's athletics publicity history.
Thirty-five years ago this week (on July 11, 1980 -
see date in far upper left corner of first image below) at the CoSIDA Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, the first "Publicists for Women's Sports Committee" was formed in the national organization.
The proposal was drawn up by an ad hoc committee, chaired by then-Wisconsin women's sports information director Tam Flarup, now a CoSIDA Hall of Fame member and chair of CoSIDA's Special Awards committee.
The champion behind the ground-breaking movement was Ole Miss athletic communications legend Langston Rogers, who was serving his one-year tenure as CoSIDA president. Rogers supported the motion to start the first CoSIDA women's sports committee. Below are the board minutes of that first meeting when he served as president, and CoSIDA- and all publicists of women's college athletics - have Rogers to thank for supporting and accepting that motion and guiding its acceptance during his "administration!"
Many CoSIDA legends, past and present, were part of that first significant movement to enhance the role of women in CoSIDA and support the coverage of college women's sports programs.
The Publicists for Women's Sports Committee went on to publish numerous guidelines for covering the emerging college women's sports scene, and was an impetutus for CoSIDA female members to start gaining leadership roles in CoSIDA. In addition, the committee's work helped set the foundation for the FAME group (Female Athletic Media Relations Executives), a subset of the national organization. (FAME on
Facebook;
@CoSIDAFAME).
As a note: Rogers is a long-time champion trailblazer in support of women and ethic minorities. A multi-Hall of Famer, he is a past recipient of CoSIDA's Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer Award. In June, while attending his 50th consecutive CoSIDA convention, Rogers was recognized for his outstanding work with women's basketball and was named to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors.
PDF of 1980 Proposal for Publicists for Women's Sports Committee