Embedded Files
The biggest change in school athletics in the last fifty years, in Washington and nationwide, has been the addition of female athletics to the school system. Nowadays girls’ sports are ubiquitous, and you wouldn’t think of a school system without them. Hard to imagine that only 50 years ago, they were a novelty. Washington High School first started adding them in 1973 after the Title IX Education Amendment of 1972. Jan Smith was the first coach of the girls’ teams, and early on she had a tremendous impact, fighting for the addition of girls programs. During the very first IHSA State Basketball tournament for girls in 1977, Washington came home with the second-place trophy.
Jan remained the coach of the volleyball, basketball, and softball teams until the 1987-1988 school year. She died of cancer in September of 1988, leaving behind a legacy as the originator of the female sports programs at the school. The softball field at Lincoln Park that has been played on by countless Washington youth is named after her.
The photos below depict some of Washington’s very first girls’ interscholastic sports teams, from the 1974-75 school year, and the pioneering athletes who started what has become a tremendous girls’ athletic program at WaCoHi.
1974-75 Softball
1974-75 Softball
Top row L-R: Valerie Baird, Nancy Stewart, Linda Launer, Glenda Simmering. Middle row L-R: Gladis Launer, Dawn Davis, Karen Kimpling, Amy Mauschbaugh. Bottom row L-R: Tammy Burress, Nancy Roth, Brenda Master, Theresa Simmons, Coach Jan Smith. Not pictured Debra DeBolt.
1974-75 Volleyball
1974-75 Volleyball
Top row L-R: Kris Burton, Valerie Baird, Susan Hobbs, Mary Ozmun, Debra Stewart. 2nd Row L-R: Gladis Launer, Julie Birchler, Glenda Simmering, Brenda Master. 3rd row L-R: Nikia Tattersall, Pamela Ryan, Nancy Roth, Linda Launer. Bottom row L-R: Debbie Shaw, Jane Grebner, Nancy Stewart.
1974-75 Tennis
1974-75 Tennis
Top row L-R: Marsha Giles, Linda Launer, Nancy Roth, Julie Tarkowski, Carolyn Johnson. Bottom row L-R: Gladis Launer, Valerie Baird, Glenda Simmering, Rita Brokstad
1974-75 Basketball
1974-75 Basketball
Top row L-R: Amy Maushbaugh, Linda Launer, Betina Schaefer, Glenda Simmering, Nancy Roth, Lori Gundy. Bottom row L-R: Pamela Ryan, Valerie Baird, Gladis Launer, Dawn Davis, Cynthia Eatmon, Debbie Shaw, Jane Grebner, Brenda Master, Coach Jan Smith.
1974-75 Track
1974-75 Track
Top row L-R: Monica Linder, Becky Hulting, Lori Holmes, Lori Grundy, Jennifer Day, Kim Ritter, Tami Essington, Pamela Ryan, Karen Wagner, Rosalee Scherer. Bottom row L-R: Leanne Albright, Maria Link, Juanita Anderson, Joyce Junk, Sue Miller, Kendra Wind, Kelly Miller, Sonja Gustaveson.
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