Upon January 2, 2002 in Des Moines, Iowa, the sports world was changed for good. However the change did not contribute to advancing support for men, but rather changed women across the nation in sports.This begins the change, the narrative, this begins the change for women in sports. Clark, the 21-year old starting point guard for the University of Iowa Women’s Basketball Team, has become a threshold to the world of sports in the last few months. Clark has swept the player of the year awards by becoming the first known woman to advance 1,000 points, 300 assists in one season. Clark was lights out throughout the March Madness tournament, breaking the record for most 3 point shots and most points scored. Throughout the tournament, Clark scored 191 points, with an addition to 41 points in back-to-back games, which is the first time in the history of women’s basketball. Not only has Clark’s scoring surpassed women, but also surpassed men’s performances in a NCAA Tournament. Although her team came up short in the final game against LSU, with a score of 82-102, her run throughout the tournament will not be forgotten. Clark has made an impact. This has been her goal the whole time.
Clark delivered an emotional postgame press conference, after an upset in the final game of the tournament against the LSU Tigers. “I want my legacy to be the impact I have on young kids and the people of Iowa,” Clark said after the title game loss, her voice catching. She covered her mouth with a towel, took a breath and composed herself. “I was that young girl (once). Clark is part of the bigger change for women in sports. Her influence on women has embarked the start of her legacy, which will affect women all across the country. Her grit, will, determination, and efforts are taking back the stereotype for women in sports. For years women have been criticized for their contributions to sport through media, conversation, and overall stereotypes. Men have continued to take away women’s drive for success in athletics by limiting their equality of opportunity through equal pay in sports, and even more consistently voicing their regard to women’s “true achievements in their field.
In similar ways, President Biden signed the Cantwell- Capito Equal Pay for Team USA Act into law, which ensured that all athletes who represent the United States in global competitions. Megan Rapino, former USA woman soccer player states, “Honestly I feel like we are a walking protest. The fact that were women professional athletes says that in and of itself. We’ve been feeling the inequality; we’ve been struggling with pay equality or whatever it is, or sexism in sports.” Women make up 51% of our workforce, the change is here within these words. The change is here within Caitlin Clark. Clark, who has advocated for this change through her effort, has caused drastic effects in the community outside basketball.
Critics have continued to say that they have seen many athletes like Clark, however none of the female sex. She is compared to Steph Curry, Pete Maravich, and she is the single greatest impact in women’s history of basketball. Some have even labeled this the Caitlin Clark effect. “She is by far a once-in-a-lifetime player,” Teri Moren, the University of Indiana head women’s coach, stated, “and is there a Caitlin Clark effect? Yeah. But I want to spread the love. I’m going to the Wooden Awards, and Caitlin Clark will be there and she’s probably going to win it, but Mackenzie Holmes of Indiana, Aliyah Boston of South Carolina, Cameron Brink of Stanford and Maddy Siegrist of Villanova will be there, and they’re tremendous players.”
Caitlin Clark is the hope for change. As young girl athletes mature, some are forced with the challenges of limiting themselves to prioritizing one sport. Young girls are now telling themselves, “I’m going to be a basketball player. I’m going to be the next Caitlin Clark.” However, this is not the end. Clark’s legacy has increased the number of young girls to basketball camps in Iowa, she has influenced the turnout to the tournament games, and increasing TV ratings because presence. “For the longest time we’ve been in the men’s shadows,” Moren says. “If the higher-ups, the people way smarter than me, think we’re ready for (our own TV contract), great. We’d love to be independent of the guys and stand on our own two feet.” Over the course of history women’s basketball has always lived in the shadow of men.”
Over the course of women in sports, there has always been a fine distinct line between the two different worlds. World’s that are so similar, yet the public makes them different. It is beyond the time of women to take that right away from them. It is time for women to be in the moment, the time, and be the future. Women across the globe continue to dominate and surpass men in different fields, however, the public has degraded many accomplishments. Why is there still an ongoing competition of sex? Why are men better than women? Why are women outcasted? These are constant questions that continue to resurface topics when revolving around women in sports. The fight for gender equality in sports is slowly starting to change for the better, and Caitlin Clark is just one of the fabulous women who embarked on the start for change. The Caitlin Clark effect is starting to turn the tables around for once. Clark has led many young women and women in general across the globe, that they matter. Not only do they matter, but one small step forward changes society as a whole.