Pat Sullivan was the first Head Coach of the University of Nebraska’s women’s volleyball team in 1974, 1975, and 1976. She later served as the head women’s volleyball coach at George Washington University from 1978 to 1986 and was inducted into the GW Hall of Fame in 1995. Terry and Pat discuss the challenges of transitioning from a club program to a varsity sport at Nebraska, while also teaching courses and serving as the head coach of the women’s swimming team.
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Hi! I loved watching you two together. It brought back memories of going to-outs before the ‘75 season and getting a sack lunch from the dorm to ride a van to our next tournament. Anyway, you’re right that we didn’t feel like we were fighting men or even that we were angry that we didn’t have the support the men’s sports had. We were just thankful to have the chance to compete. People have forgotten that the culture of the day was women weren’t expected to perform as well as men athletes, so no one would pay to watch women’s sports. Today’s women athletes don’t really know how far so women’s sports have come or what the first year involved. That’s why I wrote a feature screenplay about that first year so young women today can see the blessing that has come for women in athletics. We had no idea that one day 92,003 people would pay to watch women play and I’m so proud of that. It’s all about gratitude.
Thanks Nancy. You are part of a wonderful tradition of talented women who worked hard and took full advantage of the opprtunity that presented itself. It’s good to hear from you.