ANN MEYERS’S POLARIZING PERSONA PAGE 1

Ann Meyers’s Polarizing Persona

Jessah Linden

York High School

ENG 1010: Composition 1

Mrs. Kohout

September 30, 2022

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Abstract

Ann Meyers is a key example of a polarizing figure. Meyers’s polarization is apparent in

countless ways. Ann Meyers’s character, talent, and actions highlight her polarity. Her talent and

love for basketball provided her with immeasurable popularity. Ann had a strong willed

personality that she used to get her far in her basketball career. She is a big advocate for

women’s athletics and has continued to push for women’s rights and equality. Meyers was able

to be the first woman to receive a scholarship due to Title 9 being put into effect. Is women’s

athletics better or worse because of her? This question will have several different answers.

Some people love Ann Meyers and others do not.

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Ann Meyers was a very strong willed individual. She fought for Women’s rights and

equality and used her basketball career as a prime example of Title Nine. Title nine was a law

put into effect that protects people from dicrimmination based on sex in education and activities

(U.S. Department of Education, 2021). She has a great deal of talent and has therefore used

her popularity to voice her opinion about women athletics. Unfortunately, becoming an advocate

for this group has led to extreme controversy. However, Meyers has not let this deter her as she

is a powerful leader and has continued to stand up for what she believes. In fact, while some

have spoken against her and do not believe in what she is fighting for, many see her as a great

image in our society.

Ann Meyers was born to Patricia and Bob Meyers on March 26, 1955 in San Diego,

California (Tarapacki, 2016). She was the sixth child to be born out of eleven. She spent most

of her childhood in the Chicago area in the Catholic school system. They later moved to

California where she started her basketball career. At the age of thirteen, she joined the AAU

basketball team. She often played against boys, this is where she developed her talent for the

sport. She led her high school team to a record of 80-5 overall (Tarapacki, 2016). She was a

well rounded student when it came to school as she played many other sports other than

basketball. However, her senior year, basketball was the sport she stood out in the most. She

was the first high school player to be selected to play on the national team.

Ann Meyers continued her basketball career at UCLA, where she was the first woman to

get a scholarship to a Division one school. She led UCLA in scoring, rebounding, and assists

and was the only freshman to be named Kodak All-American. She continued to earn the All-

American title all four years of college being the first player to do this. She led UCLA to their

national title her senior year. She was the only player in school history to record a quadruple

double with 20 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals in a single game (Tarapacki,

2016). She graduated with 12 out of 13 school records. Meyers continued to play for the US

through international competitions and she was a part of the team that won a silver medal in the
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Olympics in 1976. She was drafted by the Houston Angels with the top overall pick, but she

declined this offer. Instead she decided to take advantage and make history by accepting a free

agent contract with the NBA Indiana Pacers, becoming the first women to sign with the NBA

(Tarapacki, 2016). Many thought this was a publicity stunt, but Ann Meyers had every intention

of making the team. With her work ethic and intensity ingrained by her parents, she was ready

to take on this challenge. All of these events lead to her immeasurable popularity and her career

of advocating for women’s rights and equality in athletics.

Ann Meyers’s basketball career popularized and she became a national celebrity. Thus,

created the start of her polarization to society. Her first job was a $150,000 contract in the NBA

that she signed with the Indiana Pacers (sports.jrank.org, 2022). While this did not lead to a spot

on the roster, she opened the door for many future female professional athletes. She was well

liked at UCLA where she earned tons of popularity. Then when she was the first woman to sign

to the NBA she had some negative feedback from the media, and was treated like she was

doing something unacceptable. Even though she was just continuing something she had done

her whole life at the professional level. A lot of people did not like the idea of having a female

athlete in the NBA, and her coach was not a fan of it. It was difficult for everyone because it was

first and they did not know how to handle it.

Ann Meyers has spent her entire basketball career hearing the phrase, “You let some girl

beat you?” (Glass, 2012). She went on to write a book where she opened up about her

controversial NBA tryout. With this phrase she explained that anybody can achieve anything

they want to be; whether it's your social background or economic background (Glass, 2012).

Her career began around the time of the Title Nine being passed and put into effect, and she

was a part of the change that has happened today in women’s athletics. This has taught society

that women athletics has made many sacrifices and is still making sacrifices for further

generations.

Ann Meyers is a prime example of a polarizing figure. She started her career out by
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doing something she loved and gained lots of popularity when she was the first girl to get a

scholarship to UCLA. She then developed haters and supporters with her controversial NBA

tryout. She has done many firsts in women’s athletics and many people did not know how to

respond to this happening. She courageously opened the door for many opportunities for female

athletes both in the collegiate and professional levels. This ties into today’s society through

women athletics and their rights and equality. For example, women’s wrestling has always been

a controversial topic in sports. Without Title Nine and the help of Ann Meyers being a strong

advocate for women’s athletics. This opportunity would have never presented itself to society.

Women’s wrestling has just been sanctioned over the past year in several states, allowing

female athletes to competitively compete against other girls in this sport. Leading to Ann Meyers

being a polarizing figure in our society.

Ann Meyers has impacted women athletics. The question is: Is women's athletics better

or worse because of her? Those that support Meyers declare that women’s athletics would not

be the same it is today without her. They are right. Without Ann women’s athletics would not be

the same. She opened up a lot of opportunities and did a lot of things for the first time in history.

She was the brave woman to stand up for women’s rights and equalities when it comes to

sports. She did not let men put her down even when they told her many times they were better

and she did not belong here. She fought for what she loved and wanted other female athletes to

experience the success in athletics like she did.

Ann Meyers will always be remembered as a controversial character. Through her

popularity and platform, she shaped women athletics. Her polarity came down to what she

believed in and was fighting for. She believed in women’s equality and rights and was a strong

advocate for women athletics. She had a strong personality and an even stronger ability to show

people she was just as talented if not more talented than most men. This appealed to some

people. Meyers's choices have not only impacted her career, but they have also created

opportunities for countless female athletes and executives. She has displayed the significance
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of gender fairness on and off the court, and to this day she is fighting for a time when the

phrase, "You let some girl beat you?" becomes obsolete.

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References

Ann Meyers - Broke Gender Barriers - Women, Play, Sports, and Basketball - JRank Articles.

(n.d.). Famous Sports Stars. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from

https://sports.jrank.org/pages/3200/Meyers-Ann-Broke-Gender-Barriers.html

Home. (n.d.). YouTube. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sportsmoney/2012/05/15/how-ann-meyers-drysdale-played

-like-a-girl-and-won/?sh=3aad62a762cb

Tarapacki, T. (n.d.). NPASHF | Ann Meyers Drysdale. National Polish-American Sports Hall of

Fame. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from

https://www.polishsportshof.com/portfolio_page/ann-meyers-drysdale/

Title IX and Sex Discrimination. (2021, August 20). Department of Education. Retrieved October

10, 2022,

from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/tix_dis.html