GUILDERLAND — Publicity, support, and media coverage of women’s sports has consistently grown since the passing of Title IX in 1972. Women’s sports aren’t as popular as men’s sports, but it’s getting closer.

Still, the sports’ world is dominated by men. For some women, gaining exposure in their sport may feel like a constant battle.

But, here in Guilderland, everything seems fantastic for female varsity athletes. At Guilderland High School on Wednesday, five talented young women — Rebecca Golderman, Cara Quimby, Meghan Gutknecht, Ashley Cleary, and Sarah Forman — signed athletic scholarships to Division I colleges. No male athletes were there to announce their college intentions.

Also this week, 2014 Guilderland graduate Emily Center was named to the Division I Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference All Rookie team for her efforts with the Manhattan College women’s soccer team. She started all 18 games for the Jaspers as a defender.

All five women told The Enterprise this week they felt empowered by playing sports. Each has her own personal reasons for participating in athletics, but they all share the notion of sports having a positive influence on their lives. Without athletics, they may not be the same women that they are today.

“If I hadn’t rowed, I can’t imagine what I’d be doing or who I would be,” said Cleary, who signed to the University of Michigan for crew. “I would have gone down a completely different path.”

Gutknecht rows with Cleary for the Albany Rowing Center, and also signed to the University of Michigan for crew. “It changed my life a lot,” Gutknecht said. “I have more motivation and more confidence, and I really respect the commitment that people put into their sport.”

“I discovered a lot more about myself, like how to handle being a leader,” said Quimby, who signed to Syracuse University for lacrosse. “It brings me a lot of joy, relieves my stress, and I’ve met great people. It opens new windows.”

Golderman plays three varsity sports — soccer, basketball, and lacrosse — and chose to pursue lacrosse at Binghamton University. “I stay focused, develop, manage my time, and make connections,” she said. “It has shaped me into a well-rounded person, and it’s kept me in shape, too.”

“I wouldn’t be doing as well in school or in the rest of my life,” said Forman, who signed to Siena College for cross-country. “Being successful is important, and winning is important, but having a team to be confident in is important, too. I’ve gained confidence.” 

“You develop a sense of self,” Center said. “It’s really humbling to play in college because you’re around extremely talented people. I had the possibility to prove myself, and I did.”

Center said that her soccer coach at Manhattan, Brendan Lawler, has had some interesting words to say about female empowerment. “We promote our soccer team without the ‘female’ or ‘women’s’ tag added on; it doesn’t say that on our apparel,” said Center. “The sport comes first. It’s equal to everyone.”

Rain or shine, Center said, fans always came out to support her soccer team at Manhattan, which was comparable to what she experienced previously when Guilderland made it to the state semifinals in 2012. “We had a lot of followers, yes, but Manhattan gets them even if we’re not winning,” she added. “College soccer can be awesome to watch.”

Center is a huge advocate of women’s soccer; Mia Hamm and Christine Lilly are two of her role models. She follows some men’s soccer, too, and the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League.

“We’re really dedicated to the cause of doing well together,” Center said of Manhattan soccer. “In general, the team is focused. It’s a collective effort, more than any team I’ve been on. It was an easier transition than I thought it would be.”

Crew connection

Originally, Gutknecht and Cleary had no intention of attending the same college, but that’s how it worked out.

“We both fell in love with Michigan,” said Gutknecht. “There’s a big sense of support there and I pictured myself there. It’s the school for me, and I’m making it as official as I can. Any commitment, I’ll do it.”

Cleary wanted to go to a large school in a great city, and Michigan was very much that type of environment. “It’s the best for both of us,” she said. “Both of us were seriously looking at other schools, but we came to an agreement that we wouldn’t let the other person going to a certain school deter the other from going there, too. I really look up to her,” she said of Gutknecht, “and now I get to row with her some more.”

Crew gives women great life skills and opportunities, Cleary said. “I was bouncing around sports during my freshman year and I wasn’t even athletic, and then I started rowing,” she said. “There was all this glory for guys with the football and the basketball, but rowing was dominated by women. There was this pride for women, so it was an interesting change of gears in that sense.”

Gutknecht spent last summer going to a selection camp for the national crew team, traveling to Spain, and she got a first-place finish at the Regatta of Canada. She said that she wants to see how far she can take her rowing abilities.

“There’s a lot of encouragement amongst the girls in our school to just go out there and pursue whatever it is that you want,” said Gutknecht. “The connection and support among everyone has created a strong community.”

Cara Quimby picked Syracuse because the school has an orientation similar to Guilderland’s. “Hard work and dedication sums it up,” she said. “You try to make memories.”

Rebecca Golderman is following her older brother, Eric, who is a junior at Binghamton University, and also a former three-sport athlete at Guilderland. She says that her younger sister, Jamie, also plays three sports, and looks up to her as a role model just as she did to her older brother.

“It runs in the family,” she said. “I always have conversations with my dad about sports, and I remember him saying that female athletes weren’t a big deal when he was in school.”

Much has changed. The crowd at Guilderland High School on Wednesday was a prime example. More people care about women’s sports now, and there are more women that are competitive.

“Growing up, boys always dominate sports, and they’re always the ones into sports, so it’s cool to see all these girls make it to Division I,” said Sarah Forman. “It’s making a statement that women and girls are really driven and dedicated to sports, too.”