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Parsons < USC's wo By MATT WARD Gamecock Staff Writer Women's athletics is on the rise ai Carolina ana in tne United States, according to Assistant Athletic Director for Women's Sports Pamela Parsons. "The women athlete is finally getting some type of help here at South Carolina, and that is a healthy sign for women's athletics overall," Parsons said. "Five years ago the idea of bettering the women's program not only here at USC but at any ihstitute of higher learning would have been ridiculous." PARSONS COMES to Carolina rnu auiLEU ft*? 2 FOR 1 jPl DRAFT!! |/( /SB (with ad) THE CRM 2?64 ROSEM ?ptimisti< men's atl after three years as head basketball coach at Old Dominion University (Va.) where she had a 51-29 record. Parsons is head women's basketball coach at USC. "I think the women's program can be a real success here at Carolina," Parsons said. "There has been a vprv rwpntivo nfUhido on accepting the responsibility to build a good women's program." Women's athletics has come to the forefront in the U.S.A. with the help of such women athletes as Billie Jean King. King has been the outspoken advocate of equal pay for professional women athletes and for acceptance of women athletics in a male uominaiea sporis woria. NUTS FRIDAY L HAPPY HOUR f 5-9 ^ ft | $.25 Draft \Vt I AHICC K IITP LTVUICO INIIC (T TUESDAY FREE DRAFT 8-9 3W BAR fOOP DRIVE n, m b B : about riletics "Billie Jean King has to be considered the pioneer for women athletes whether they b^ amateur or professional," Parsons said. "Everybody thought Billie Jean was nuts when she began her crusade for the acceptance of women athletes, but in the last couple of years look at the success that Billie Jean has had." BEFORE PARSONS arrival at Carolina the women's program here at USC was not fully funded or developed, and was run jointly by the Physical Education and Athletic Department. i am very giaa 10 see the Athletic Department has taken control of the women's program. Hiere is only one way to have a successful program and the athletic department must be in control of anything concerned with athletics," Parsons said. "The women's program before I arrived here lacked the kind of leadership that is essential in making a j AlphA j the new sc Invites all [ an openm house BaIIr< I SPECIA THIS KHAKI MOE I DOWNTOWN?OPM *TI AN MOE LEWS II StVIH OAKS ? OP1N Pam Parsons program successful." Parsons believes women's athletics has not come to the attention of the American public because of the lack of money put infn PhIIacTO nrnclromr onrl 1??lr ?iw vv?av^ |/i V/gl U1IIO UUU iaV.IV U1 exposure by the media. "Any successful program needs financial backing so that a foundation can be built," Parsons said. "We also need media exposure so that people will know who we are. But don't, get me wrong. What I don't want is token exposure. I want to see the girls in women's fflHW VV^ w-n Oifwi i tie, Bfcs 1 IS YET TO COME! omicRon pi >RORity on campus imeResieo women to q pARty At the Russell 3om-A 4-6 pm Sept. 18 L ITEMS = WEEK [ JEANS v WW Agg >99 jEVYS It. 4 KXCIPT Ml. TIL f D EAN STATION 'Til, f IXCIPT SAT. 1 "I think the women's program can be a real success here at Carolina." Pam Parsons 1 athletics earn it. I don't want anj free gifts from anybody." WOMEN ATHLETICS is. governed by the Association for Inter-collegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). "The women involved in the AIAW are split in which way women athletics should go," Parsons said. "There are some women who are old fashioned and feel the woman's place is the hnmo Tho^o ovn mK/* ??? tivinv. aaivi v ut\/ Vlll^l O WIIU U1 C liberal and feel women's athletics should take even greater strides to get equality among athletes." American women athletes have not reached the degree of success that women from other countries have, particularly the Soviet Union. "Women athletes in other countries are treated as equals with the men and you can see the kind of performances these women have accomplished in such sports as gymnastics, track and field, and swimming," Parsons said. "WOMEN IN the foreign countries are urged to develop their abilities to full potential. In America if a woman reaches to her full potential she may take away some of the limelight that the male athlete has had reserved for him. Our society has not fully accepted the women athlete on the sports scene even urith tho offnrfc nf liillin fllill IWV V1IV/I LO VTA U1IIIC UCClll and other women leaders." Parsons is impressed with the help and direction she has received from athletic director Jim Carlen. "Jim Carlen has been a really big help in getting Carolina's women's program off the ground," she said. "Jim Carlen realizes that it will take time for the women's program to reach its full potential. With a realistic view like that, you can see that with time women's athletics at Carolina can be successful." CAROLINA'S women's basketball, coached by Parsons, hopes to recover quickly from an unsuccessful season last year. Parsons thinks that the team will have an excellent opportunity to improve lasi year s record or h-ib. "I think that since the women's program has been improved, the women's basketball team will also improve," Parsons said. "We've been able to recruit some fine women basketball players and I feel they will be able to help the team tremendously." Since the program has been improved, Parsons thinks the new women athletes will be more dedicated to the program. itnra ? ? ? me uiu program nere aia noi convey any dedication to the girls who were participating," she said. "Since I have taken over as women's basketball coach the girls realize that the athletic department cares about their program. Consequently, the girls will be more loyal to the program." This year the nickname for women's sports will be the "Lady Gamecocks" and not tne "Chicks". See PARSONS, Page II