Pioneers plan various talks for symposium
A symposium to celebrate women’s coaches, particularly high school coaches, is being sponsored by the Human Rights Education Institute in Coeur d’Alene as part of an emphasis this month promoting gender equality through athletics.
The coaching summit will be held Feb. 23 at the HREI. The keynote speakers include former Coeur d’Alene and Lake City head cross country and track coach Donna Messenger; former Post Falls athletic director and volleyball, basketball and track coach Sherie Patano, who helped coordinate the first girls basketball league in North Idaho in 1973; former Valley Christian head track coach Linda Lanker, who coaches hurdlers at Community Colleges of Spokane and Coeur d’Alene High; Central Valley assistant track coach Jennifer Stalwick; and Mead track and cross country coach Dori Robertson.
Cost to attend the summit and dinner (which includes an evening panel discussion) is $35. Cost for the dinner only is $15.
Several female high school coaches who are considered pioneers in their sports after the passage of Title IX will be honored at the evening event. Former Shadle Park volleyball and basketball coach Linda Sheridan; former Sandpoint and CCS volleyball coach Irene Matlock; former Sandpoint and Eastern Washington University volleyball coach Pam Parks; and former Kellogg volleyball, basketball and track coach Mary Jean Hinkemeyer are a few of those who will be honored.
Lanker and Robertson are going to speak about “differences in coaching males and females” and “relationships with coaches.” The subject for Stalwick, a health and wellness instructor as well as a biology teacher, is “Sports Nutrition for the Female Athlete.” “The History of Title IX – Women’s Struggles and Accomplishments in Athletics” is the title of Patano and Messenger’s talks.
The speakers will also discuss successes, solutions and problems female coaches and athletes still face today.
Female coaches of high school, middle school, recreation or AAU teams are invited to attend. For more information, call (208) 292-2359.
All-star games moved
The fifth annual Idaho state boys and girls all-star basketball games, sponsored and hosted by North Idaho College, will be held earlier this year.
The doubleheader for the top seniors in the state will be held March 15 – about three weeks earlier. The main reason behind the change is the early date means the players should be in more season shape than playing in early April. The change also means fewer players will have conflicts with spring sports and spring break.
The games pit the top players from the north against the top players from the south. The South boys lead the series 3-2 and the South girls lead the series 4-1. The doubleheader also features a slam dunk contest along with a 3-point shooting contest between the top males and females.
This Story not over
Fawn Story of Mullan was a four-year starter on basketball teams that had multiple more losses than victories. Still, the 6-foot-2 post ended a respectable prep career Tuesday.
Story, who was also a four-year starter in volleyball, finished with 737 career points. It’s believed to be one of the highest totals in school history, if not the highest. She averaged 10.4 rebounds per game and about two blocked shots.
Several schools are recruiting Story in both sports. She is leaning toward playing both sports at North Idaho College.
•No. 2 seed Post Falls (18-3) goes to No. 1 Coeur d’Alene (19-2) in the 5A Region I girls championship game Friday night at 7. Also Friday, No. 4 Lewiston (10-11) visits No. 3 Lake City (14-6) in a loser-out game at 7.
The LC/Lewiston winner travels to the PF/CdA loser on Saturday night to decide a second state berth. The game will be at 5 if played at PF or at 7 if played at CdA.