TEMPE, Ariz. – Leadership is a quality that high-performing teams cannot function without, no matter what industry, organization or team. That applies, especially this year, to all of the leaders within Sun Devil Athletics, all of whom are women.
June 23, 2022 marked the 50-year anniversary of Title IX, which created a law against gender-based discrimination in education and other programs that receive federal financial assistance.
ASU's prominent women student-athletes have been reflecting on this historic milestone throughout the year. Among three notable student-athlete-run organizations within Sun Devil Athletics, each is led by a woman.
Jensen Kaelin is a junior and member of the Sun Devil beach volleyball team. Kaelin is also the president of the EmpowHER Institute at ASU, which empowers girls and young women by giving them skills to become confident and prepared for college and their future careers.
Kaelin said while some may take it for granted, she fully understands and appreciates the gravity of Title IX enjoying such a significant benchmark.
“Honestly, I don't think some athletes understand how historic it (Title IX) is,” Kaelin said. “When you do have that second to breathe and take a moment to recognize the time that we're in, you're able to sit back and be amazed and impressed with how far women have come.”
Kaelin also shared how much it means to her to be recognized as a leader within Sun Devil Athletics and beyond.
“At times, it doesn't always feel like I'm impacting others. But having this small little moment of recognition really means the world,” Kaelin said.
While she expressed how much that recognition means to her, Kaelin also expressed how much her teammates mean to her.
“For me, because I'm at the age where my sisters are the younger teammates’ age, it's like a home away from home,” Kaelin said. “I know this is so cliché, but it is like a family. Truly, I will always and forever look at my teammates as sisters to me and it's important that everybody feels welcomed. It's almost like second nature to me to make sure that everybody's comfortable and ready to play.”
Another leader on the beach volleyball team is junior Kate Fitzgerald. Aside from her success on the sand, including leading the team in total wins last season with 17, Fitzgerald is the co-president of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) at ASU, along with Audrey Ernst, a senior on the triathlon team.
Like Kaelin, Fitzgerald also understands the importance of the 50-year anniversary of Title IX.
“It's just incredible to see how we've grown so much as a community,” Fitzgerald said. “It's amazing to see all the opportunities we have.Everything that was originally proposed with Title IX has happened today and is coming forth. And I think that's incredible to experience it.”
As far as being recognized as a leader, Fitzgerald said she never could have predicted it.
“I never expected that coming in as a freshman,” Fitzgerald said. “ Going from being a walk-on on the team and now being looked at as a leader, on the court and off the court, is just incredible. It doesn't feel real.”
Although Fitzgerald did not foresee her being looked up to by so many in and outside of Sun Devil Athletics, she has a very tangible definition on what leadership means to her.
“I think being a leader is working with everybody to help each person individually. Everyone has their own way of doing something. Their mind works their own way,” Fitzgerald said. “They take criticism, they applaud everyone in a different way. Being a leader is figuring out how you can connect with each person and grow a level of respect, but also a level of friendship.”
While Fitzgerald and Kaelin have helped cultivate a sisterly dynamic amongst the beach volleyball team, another pair of women’s student-athletes within Sun Devil Athletics have created their own legacy of leadership and athletic accomplishments.
Izzy Redmond and Juliette Boyer are both seniors competing for the Sun Devil Gymnastics team. They are also co-presidents of the Black Student Athlete Association (BSAA) at ASU. Redmond said one of the primary purposes behind the BSAA was to establish a sense of community.
“What we wanted to do was create this safe space for black student-athletes to come together, have experiences, connect with the community and kind of just build that,” Redmond said. “And, while we're doing that, we give them a platform to make change and uplift them to use their voice and help support the ASU community.”
Boyer added that another important element of the BSAA is to encourage support from everyone willing to lend it.
“??It's really just a place to advocate for not only Black student-athletes, but their allies as well. And just educate people on different experiences, different perspectives and really interact with our community and engage them in something that's really important. Hopefully we can make some positive change in our community and maybe outside of our community as well,” Boyer said.
EmpowHER, SAAC, and BSAA are just a few of the places where ASU’s student-athletes are making their voices heard and presence felt. And because of the passage of Title IX 50 years ago, there are plenty of women leaders who will continue to not only make a difference in sports, but in our community as well.