Published: Aug. 15, 2014
Changing course
Move made due to threat of lawsuit for sexual discrimination
against females
By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
Daily News
Most area cross-country coaches are fine with girls races
increasing from 4,000 to 5,000 meters this year.
The issue was how the rule was put into place and why.
In May, the WIAA announced it was going to extend the
distance of girls cross-country races from 4K to 5K, but only because of a
threat of a lawsuit claiming sexual discrimination.
“I’m opposed to the change but I’m prepared,” West Bend West
girls cross-country coach Boyd Janto said. “I’m more disappointed with how it
went down rather than the change.”
With practice set to start Monday, curiosity of how the
sport will change is growing.
“I’ve had kind of mixed feelings for it; (the coaches
association’s) has been discussing it for six years,” Slinger coach Terry Krall
said. “One thing I objected to was how it was done. There was no basis for the
complaint. The WIAA caved without looking into it.”
The WIAA’s Medical Advisory Committee met May 2 and
announced it had no reason to oppose 5K for girls and supported the increase
from 4K to 5K, according to a letter sent by WIAA Executive Director Dave
Anderson to the WIAA membership in May.
The change was made at the WIAA Board of Control meeting May
16.
Typically, a rule change has to go through a process, often
starting with the state coaches association for the respect sport, then to an
advisory committee, then to the Board of Control and finally to the membership
at the annual meeting every April.
This was different.
The WIAA received an inquiry from the Office of Civil Rights
based on a complaint to the OCR, which alleged sexual discrimination in girls
cross-country.
According to the complaint filed in February by an unnamed
party, it read, “For years now there has been a plea by various groups to
correct this injustice. ... These young ladies deserve the right to compete at
the distance they choose, not what is convenient for meet management.”
The complaint also said, “These ladies feel that they are
being discriminated against because they are not as fast as their male
teammates and are therefore a ’weaker’ sex. Please help us correct this
“ignorant’ attitude and put these ladies on an equal playing field with their
male counterparts.”
Krall said it was one person who filed the complaint, but
the name was kept private.
Area coaches and athletic directors said they were surprised
of the accusation of the complaint.
“I had never heard any complaints of it,” Kewaskum Athletic
Director Jason Piittmann said.
“I’ve never had a girl come to me and say they felt
inadequate or feel they’re being discriminated against,” Janto said.
Wisconsin became the 42nd state to make the change. The most
recent before Wisconsin was Nebraska, making the change in 2013.
Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota,
Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas don’t have equal running distances for girls
and boys. Minnesota has a group of people who have set up a Facebook page
called “Let ’Em Run 3.1” or 5 kilometers.
“I will embrace the change,” Janto said. “I’m not adamantly
opposed.”
Germantown girls coach Nancy Pietrowiak echoed a similar
sentiment.
“I’m not totally for it,” she said. “I know the girls can
run it. But I don’t see a reason why.”
Around the country, there is variety.
In Oklahoma, girls run 3.2 kilometers or 1.99 miles. In
Texas, race lengths differ based on classification. Schools in the state’s
largest classes — 5A and 4A — run a 5K, while schools in 3A, 2A and 1A run 4K
courses. In 2002, Iowa upped its distance for girls races from 3.2 kilometers
to 4.
And in Oregon, California, Florida, Michigan and Arizona,
states considered to be hotbeds, the girls run distances close to 6 kilometers.
Krall said it’s going to be a challenge this season in
getting the girls ready for the change.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “Fitness
will be more of a premium and it’ll be rewarded. ... Maybe it’ll be a good
thing.”
A concern over the change was whether it would scare off
runners. Krall said at bigger programs, like Slinger and West, it likely won’t
be an issue.
However, at smaller programs, such as Kewaskum, Kettle
Moraine Lutheran and Living Word Lutheran, there was concern.
“I’m hoping the change doesn’t scare them off,” KML Athletic
Director Len Collyard said.
Another concern is where does the sexual discrimination
claim end?
Track and field, golf and basketball are just some sports
with noticeable differences between the boys and girls.
In track and field, the boys run a 110-meter hurdle event,
while the girls do 100. In another hurdle event, the boys 300 hurdles is
intermediate, while the girls is low. In addition, the shot put and the discus
are lighter for girls than boys.
In golf, the girls tee off from shorter distances, and in
basketball, the 3-point line is closer at the collegiate and professional
levels, and the basketball is smaller.
“We have always had difference in men and women’s sports,
even at the college level,” Piittmann said.
“Had the WIAA wished to challenge it and say we would like
to make the decision, who knows how it would’ve turned out,” Krall said. “The
argument wasn’t very strong.”
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