What Title IX means to Gastonia basketball legends Cheryl Littlejohn, Nicole Woods
Basketball is no longer at the center of what Cheryl Littlejohn does, the Hunter Huss and Tennessee Lady Vols basketball product having long put away her sneakers for an apron and ladle at her two Gastonia businesses, Smith’s Soul Food Bistro and Legacy Event Center.
She still clings to many lessons learned in decades on the hardwood, though, chief among them that a team is only as good as the sum of its parts.
“Everything that was essential for us in basketball, corporate America, at a restaurant, an event center, community organizer, it needs many of the same things,” Littlejohn said. “You need a leader, you need an assistant and complementary players, a support staff. Everyone has a role to play, and sometimes it takes stepping out on faith and reaching out to others.”
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With help from employees and volunteers, Littlejohn made her latest assist earlier this spring, handing meat products by the bag full to cars at her Chestnut Street restaurant.
“You’re talking about 20,000 pounds of premium pork, you need partners. It takes a team,” she said. “It was (7 a.m. Tuesday) and I was reaching out to people with a common mission and goal. We’re all on one accord because we love our community, we love our kids and love giving back to our veterans.”
More than 30 years ago, her mission was much different. Even as they pursued a national championship, Littlejohn and her Tennessee teammates were on the front line as sweeping change took hold in athletics.
When Title IX became law as part of the Education Amendments of 1972, less than 300,000 female athletes participated in college and high school sports. The National Federation of State High School Associations now estimate more than 3.4 million girls participate in high school sports, with more than 200,000 women involved in college athletics.
Playing for one of the nation's preeminent programs a decade after the law's passing, Littlejohn said Title IX’s impact didn’t hit home at the time.
“For us from an equity standpoint, I felt we were at a great university," she said. "There was a separate athletic department in many ways for women’s athletics and men’s, and they made sure we got treated fairly.
“Maybe some of my counterparts at other institutions didn’t have the same experience in terms of equity, or in how we traveled and where we stayed. But being No. 1 in the country and having a coach like Pat Summitt made sure we stayed taken care of.”
In 39 seasons, Summitt won 1,098 games and led Tennessee to eight national titles, with Littlejohn helping the legendary coach to her first as a senior in 1987. Under her guidance the Lady Vols became a dynasty and brought national credibility to the sport.
As important to Littlejohn was the tenacity with which Summitt fought for causes she believed in.
“She was a leader in terms of Title IX not just for her players, but players and coaches elsewhere,” Littlejohn said. “We benefited greatly from the work of a pioneer. She was a trail blazer and sparked a flame. Even though it took time and came after she had won several national titles, she worked hard and long enough to see the fruit of her labor and that was gaining equal pay.”
A legacy still being written
In her first season, Summitt had a salary of less than $9,000. Prior to the 2008-09 season, she became the first women’s basketball coach to earn more than $1 million in a season.
Though her salary isn't near that threshold, Summitt's impact isn’t lost today on Gastonia native Nicole Woods.
A standout at Hunter Huss, Woods gained fame at nearby Belmont Abbey College. During her four seasons, she tallied 1,641 points — fourth most in program history. Woods’ 676 points during 2005-06 are the most scored by a Crusader in a single season, in addition to earning the program’s only triple-double on Jan. 6, 2005, against Erskine, going for 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
“I remember early on playing with the boys, and then going on and playing with girls … I struggled,” Woods said. “Playing against boys you need a certain level of toughness, a certain level of poise and a belief ‘I belong’ to even make it on the team.
“I had that fight, that chip on my shoulder from day one. But playing girls they weren’t rough, they didn’t push back or do things boys did. It allowed me to showcase a certain physicality that other girls didn’t possess. It helped me gain confidence and made me think, ‘If I’m playing well against the boys maybe I can do some things.’”
Woods played professionally for one season in England before becoming a coach, now with the Charlotte women’s basketball team.
Admittedly, Title IX wasn’t on Woods' radar playing her way through high school and college. As a coach, the legislation's impact has gained clarity with each passing year.
“Funding for women’s sports has increased, as has participation. As a result, interest by fans has grown as well,” she said. “You see it in women’s basketball, other sports like volleyball and they are drawing more fans. So when you have more eyes and interest, more dollars tend to come as well.
“I’m thankful for Title IX, because it gave me the opportunity to play and have my schooling paid for. And it continues to do great things for young women, allowing them to gain experiences they may not have gained otherwise.”
You can reach Joe Hughes at 704-914-8138, email jhughes@gastongazette.com and follow on Twitter @JoeLHughesII.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gastonia basketball stars Cheryl Littlejohn, Nicole Woods on Title IX
