Sport administration students are hitting the road to Indianapolis, Indiana, to address the issue of gender inequality in athletics.
Eight sport admin students from Belmont’s undergraduate and graduate programs will make the trip to the nationwide competition hosted by the Applied Sport Management Association.
The main topic for this year’s conference focuses on evening the playing field between male and female athletes.
“The 2021 NCAA Final Four revealed just how serious the inequalities in sport are,” said Kailei Foltmer, a competitor for Belmont’s graduate team.
The collegiate organization has failed female athletes tremendously, Foltmer said. Just last year, the NCAA spent $4,285 per male athlete versus $2,588 per female athlete.
“Our goal for this competition is to propose an equitable bid plan for the 2027 NCAA joint Final Four that can begin to work towards closing the gender gap between male and female athletes,” Foltmer said.
After a month of prep time, competitors will present their professional reports to a panel of ASMA judges.
The Case Study Competition is set! 20 teams, 2 divisions! Cases will be released today and best of luck to all! **Not tagged, but also participating: @NIUlive, @SamfordU, & @WSUSportMgmt!#ASMAIndy pic.twitter.com/1tf5f3rVmS — ASMA 2022 (@ASMA_Conf) January 17, 2022
Sport admin junior Austin Smalling is eager for the opportunity to represent Belmont as a member of the undergraduate team along with Deanna Bohrer, Rachel Boorse and Claire Whittle.
“I’m most looking forward to being able to see my hard work pay off and put my skills to work,” said Smalling, who is an officer in Belmont’s Sport Administration Club.
Foltmer is just as enthusiastic to be attending with her graduate teammates Jacqueline Oiga, Rebekah Mohrmann and Andrea Leitner.
“I am in two separate competitions for ASMA, and each one has offered a unique opportunity to attend, speak and compete at a conference. For me, it is truly all about the learning experience, and I am hoping it is the first of many that I attend,” said Foltmer.
In the fall semester, faculty members hand-picked Belmont’s representatives. The two teams will face off against 12 undergraduate and eight graduate teams from schools across the country.
“Along with Dr. Kristi Oshiro and Dr. Robbie Matz, we are really excited about what the students come up with in terms of creativity and professionalism,” said Dr. Adam Pfleegor, an associate professor of sport admin at Belmont.
The ASMA conference begins Feb. 16.
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PHOTO: Information for the 2022 ASMA conference. Applied Sport Management Association
This article was written by Camden Morris. Updated Thursday afternoon to include the names of all Belmont’s conference delegates.