Maine Perspective Front Page
Viewpoint
Thanks for the Memories
There are periods in history when events change the way people perceive things forever. There are rare and exceptional people who claim their place in history by finding their destiny on their own terms.
The young women I work with that the Women's Resource Center, the high school and college-age women, tell me repeatedly that it's a new world they are experiencing, that we are creating new ways of perceiving the world and that we can only imagine the impact of making a place for everyone with talent and vision.
Title IX is one modern phenomenon and we are just beginning to understand the implications. Title IX made a place for Cindy Blodgett. She rose to the occasion in an unprecedented way. It is hard to describe Cindy and the impact she has had on the University and the state of Maine without resorting to clichés.
Just a few short years ago, it would have been unimaginable for a young girl to be the sports hero for the entire state; it would have been unimaginable for men to travel hours to attend a women's basketball game. We see the little girls and their dreams and aspirations reaching previously unexplored heights. less obvious, but just as dramatic, are the little boys who attend the games to see perfection in execution, to learn techniques that challenge their abilities. Those of us who never had the opportunity to test ourselves athletically are thrilled at seeing such strong women take command of the game and inspire emotions that can leave us weak.
I've made friends of my basketball "neighbors," people who share the passion and show up on cold winter nights for the most exciting entertainment available. We look for the familiar faces that we only know from games, share gossip about the team, reflect on the most recent game, and speculate on our chances at the 50-50 raffle.
The crowd is diverse - old and young, male and female, local and travel-weary. Maine sweatshirts abound. The music, the chants, the clapping rituals make us feel a part of it all. We know now for sure that Maine has what it takes, that we can compete with the best, that a young woman from a small Maine town can not only turn heads wherever she plays, but can handle herself with an honesty and a poise that redefines our image of hero.
Some people speculate on what the future holds for women's basketball at UMaine without Cindy. I suggest that it will never be the same again. For as surely as Cindy promoted her teammates and stressed the importance of the team, it was Cindy the fans came to see. And in doing so, we learned to appreciate and to respect the whole team. That respect and admiration will fill the seats next year . . . and the next.
Cindy didn't just showcase her own talents; she made us proud to be Mainers. She helped us to all realize that we are capable of competing with the best, as players, as coaches, as fans. She changed the way we perceive things forever by claiming her destiny on her own terms.
Thanks Cindy.
Sharon Barker is director of the University of Maine Women's Resource Center and a UMaine alumna.