JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================jK" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?8\,@}·A`Nie}֜Ĵsm`U?03E:$`=לȴb'Gu} Dij= Wm/-1NxsUdș[Z{co@3յ[ Jb}m]]%Mʙ6D$ Ӛ}^X5F:ïڜS^jy5>uNGo< pVfg*8 .ywK#2)zZ-[fu; y֥6>nAxlnYZ6D%BAmr й ppqSj<bb623Uvq/۵@{=U#|-:Ucipk3=ێI`9JV–QPIT%K/ fNW1I^ͪ- *GZπO6 E#9ːNTz}*/P9Ywܞ=Y־j)IZ22\gRp8Ӯ4𭅾b@;aviݓ>v*ZCt iHZzm|'h$KH#wyfsQ_ָvIv$I(Vf -T4f]Qyl0_lhWHf\LƺW<7g2]ZֲNʌҼQkyfyygnlWf-5LjRY'Ήs"6ItTo8/b2F5H4;/pTʅ_ס[JN(Vxcľx/LCQO3r/QjMfhĺ67=Zi*C6#9kF%r)S]/m?7<GO -n'/ӗ,j%zڸkJ`̕.3mD.o V̖ӆˑ"Tҕ|8@> M϶))EiyT x:]7pzHjAbS=VP~,IqJw| ?y#xfiKJvy=u^&k5mnw̨eH^mVHɸV`2ּ:U3咱 X5Ӧ1sBr3]G,Je}3°iV5FOn5Z=JYnd @qf)⽕I)6T<7id6woXHɸ3=mtuH4_v`+6 &%j9*m^,%A6DϨ0m2j{/U[el'XHcWy51g@Jc Om4٭Y2V5|}Ǿ2MSSEʣzvuȺM@FXGAp2koomqmWdsWsqַn;HsƾSNj1۩'K[uȭF<?֭ΡuƶR)0ʮSz Ȼ+x<|TKYMxxo;:ʕ*Ꚅ77 o(HpB'ǝ 듏~ku]6F[Aɲ=2\@VW@\y8KS :kfU9LO8+Rn&("'kuF2^G':M}rm,uPHd'"q^nuMG !Rez Y4+dM,cB-\iЌ|)Ijcm3;1\>?I_]פ1" s(ɩSÒ,FK^OZ64MTP͜951y4ٜ^4EtX^G%RVOIUU MfeGqB~ˤr2Ӥ:q?U< F 7s9? jQt;axa@C(;Oϥ3'ȏ@]-i'rbw the Educational Amendment Title IX, which contained a section prohibiting discrimination against girls and women in federally funded education, including sports. Like a snowball on a downhill run, what seemed insignificant at the beginning created an avalanche that has completely changed the status of women in sports today.<br>If those old codgers are still alive, I bet they're not grinning now.<br><br>The Sydney Games<br><br>Let's return to the present. The recent Sydney Olympics were a shining example of the dramatic changes made possible by Title IX. The opening ceremonies set the mood when Cathy Freeman was handed the torch from a series of her Australian countrywomen (who had all been Olympic athletes) and took center stage against a backdrop of shimmering water and flame. The moment was a deliberate celebration of the female athlete, and with more women participating and breaking records than ever before, that celebratory feeling carried through the entire Games.<br>Did Title IX have any Olympic influence? Just ask Dot Richardson, who with her teammates won gold in the first-ever women's Olympic softball competition at the 1996 Games, and gold again at the 2000 Games. When she was 10, Dot's exceptional playing was notic;GY̊P犹Jq2F Ŝ%r T H7EsZ:F y8PyYX2c= wanted to be on his team. Sure she did! But the coach said they'd have to cut her hair short and they'd call her "Bob." Later, after Title IX was in place, Dot went on to become a four-time All-American in college and was named