The Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Women in Sports Luncheon

By Kenny Slaught

Introduction

Each February, the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table collaborates with the University of California, Santa Barbara Women’s Center to hold the Women & Girls in Sports Luncheon on National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The luncheon also recognizes the progress made since Title IX passed in 1972 to create more athletic opportunities for women. This event brings more than 500 female athletes from area universities and high schools to celebrate their accomplishments and hear from an inspirational speaker.

Women in Sports

In 2015, the luncheon welcomed Alissa Johnson, an Olympic ski jumper who campaigned with her team to make women’s ski jumping recognized as an official Olympic sport. The struggle for recognition lasted 10 years due to extreme resistance from Olympic officials. A documentary, Ready to Fly, follows the movement and the success realized by Johnson and her teammates.

Speakers from past years include Dotsie Bausch, a silver-medal Olympic cyclist; Kaitlin Sandeno, a swimmer with four Olympic medals; and celebrated golfer Pearl Sinn-Bonanni.