Kris Canfield: Woman Worth Meeting
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the landmark legislation that opened collegiate sporting doors to women, we remember that one of the reasons it was needed was that many felt female athletes couldn’t handle the rigors of competitive sport. “Title IX has not only allowed women to have similar opportunities as men, in sports, but it also highlighted the disparity in women having ability to perform and push their bodies to high level of achievement and competition,” Kris Canfield told us via email. “Highlighting the disparity was the first step. Offering equal opportunities for both genders is the second step, and the final step is equality across the board, which I believe we are still striving towards, but we aren't there yet. It takes all of us now to stand up and help break down those barriers for the younger generation.” Canfield herself has shown that women not only can handle a demanding athletic workload, such pursuits can help them thrive. “Growing up I played basketball, softball, and track. I started learning more about soccer, but my school did not have the sport, so my parents sent me to a summer camp to learn the basics and I would practice fundamentals and technique at home, in between other sports,” she said of a youth spent developing the skills that allowed her to play two sports at Mid-America Christian University. “My dual collegiate sports, it was crazy. Soccer was in the fall and softball was in the spring, so my only downtime was December, but it helped pay for my college; taught me time management; and how to organize my schedule and tasks to get schoolwork done, meet the physical demands and fitness tests, and have a social life.” Sports also provided a model for Kris to become one of the people who helps break down barriers for female competitors. “My inspiration growing up was Reggie White with the Green Bay Packers. He was a quiet beast on the field, but was kind and served others. He was the first athlete I watched on TV where I realized you could be competitive during your sport, but gentle and kind off the field.” …
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