50 Years in the Bleachers
What modern sports parents can learn from a Title IX pioneer
Five decades.
Three generations.
One family’s sports story.
As a Title IX pioneer, Christine Hawkinson helped blaze the girls’ sports trail her daughters followed 20 years later. Having been a coach’s daughter and a coach’s wife, she thought she was well prepared to be a sports parent.
But in the early 2000s, everything she knew and valued about sports was challenged by an invitation for her daughter to join a pay-to-play team.
Escalating expectations for playing and her daughter’s ACL tear led to more questions about the youth sports system that has since grown more complex, more expensive, and disheartening for many children.
50 Years in the Bleachers is rooted in the story of how a group of girls, driven solely by their own interest in the game, paved the way for next generations. And how an introvert gained confidence and life skills by being on the team.
Hawkinson’s journey is a rekindling of the benefits of sport, the meaning of team, and the responsibility of those who shape children’s experiences. It’s an inspiring message for anyone who respects why kids play, and who strives to be thoughtful about where and when they do.
Or place an order through your favorite independent bookstore.
Readers reflect on 50 Years in the Bleachers
“50 Years in the Bleachers was a call to action for me. I enjoyed reading about what youth sports were like in the past, and I have seen the issues in youth sports today. I want to help rewrite the narrative. I want to keep coaching because I know that I can make a difference for the kids.”
- Greg, parent and coach
“This book is well worth the read. It’s super informative, witty, and grabs you by your heart strings. Athletics is always changing, but we must think about where we’ve been in order to pave a better way for where we want to go.”
- Deb, athletic trainer and sports fan
“I am not the only one wondering how
lining the pockets of various organizations
that stress playing over practice is a good thing.
The book, though, is much more than just a study
in elitism. It is a book that makes you think.”
- Pat Reilly, editor of The Dodgeville Chronicle,
coach, and lifelong sports fan