An Oral History Of The First U
cheap jordans for sale Forty years ago this summer, a team of 12 women laid the foundation for the future of women’s basketball in the United States, competing as part of Team USA in the first ever Olympic women’s cheap Air max shoes basketball tournamentat the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. at all. But for most of the group, this wasn’t their first high cheap jordans online stakes basketball cheap air jordan tournament, as nineof the 12 women on the team had also played for Team USA at the Pan American Games the year before. Given the strength of the international competition, however, Team USA wasn’t expected to even qualify for the 1976 Olympics,let alone win cheap jordans china a medal. But, led by coach Billie Jean Moore and co captains Juliene Simpson and Pat Summitt (then known as Pat Head), they ended up going very far, eventually taking home the silver medal. cheap jordans for sale
For an inside look at the 1976 team’s historic run, The Huffington Post spoke with head coach Billie Jean Moore, players Nancy Lieberman, Ann Meyers and Juliene Simpson, who all played for the 1975 team, too, and Gail Marquis and Trish Roberts, who were newcomers in 1976.
In April 1976, USA Basketball opened five regional tryout camps for the Olympic women’s team. Over 1,000 women showed up.
cheap nike shoes Gail Marquis, forward: There was an advertisement in the newspaper: „Come try out for the Olympic team.” cheap nike shoes
cheap jordans shoes Trish Roberts, forward: I didn’t even cheap yeezys know that women weren’t in the Olympics until they told me that cheap jordans china 1976 would be the first time women’s basketball would be. cheap jordans shoes
Ann Meyers, guard: Anybody and their mother could try out.
Billie Jean Moore, head coach: We wanted to give everyone, every young female athlete, an opportunity.
cheap jordans sale Thirty four players received invites to the Olympic trials in May. cheap jordans sale
cheap jordan sneakers Roberts:It was very competitive. There was a young lady named Carol Blazejowski who led the nation [playing in the New https://www.enoft.com Jersey Athletic Conference]in scoring that year, and everybody just knew that she was probably going to be on the Olympic Team, but she didn’t make it. cheap jordan sneakers
cheap jordans on sale Marquis: I didn’t even want to look at the list. cheap jordans on sale
cheap Air max shoes Moore:I was not on the [selection] committee. I had a voice, but I did not have a vote. I cheap air force think the thing was [I] was always wanting to grow the game. And so my cheap nike shoes recommendation was that we select Nancy Lieberman [for the last spot]. cheap Air max shoes
Nancy Lieberman, forward:Let’s say she picked me for the future of the game.
cheap air jordan cheap adidas Juliene Simpson, guard and co captain:I was the point guard and Ann Meyers and Pat Summitt were the wing players, and Nancy Dunkle and Lucy Harris played inside. That’s who started. cheap air jordan
cheap jordans online Marquis:The coaches had to find different ways to combat the fact that we’re together for four to six weeks, as opposed to the Russian team, who’s together for four, six, 10 years. cheap jordans online
cheap adidas One time, we played a boys high school all star team and they quit at halftime. They didn’t come back out of the locker room. cheap adidas
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cheap jordans from china Roberts:I don’t ever recall playing a women’s team the whole time we were cheap jordans free shipping training for the Olympics. cheap jordans from china
cheap yeezys Moore:One time, we played a boys high school all star team and they quit at halftime. They didn’t come back out of the locker room. cheap yeezys
Meyers:Some gentlemen asked me, „What was it playing like those big cheap jordans from china guys?” I’m thinking, „Well, that’s how I grew up.” I played pickup ball all the time, playing against guys.
Simpson:Billie really said, „Whether you’re starting, or you’re No. 1 on the team or No.12, it didn’t matter. You are making history. What can you do?”
cheap cheap jordans sale jordans free shipping The team mostly beat the men’s teams they faced. But on one occasion, they lost by one point to a local high school boys team, unleashing Moore’s fury at the next morning’s practice. The moment would turn out to be a crucial one for the team. cheap jordans free shipping
Moore:I can just tell you we went the first hour without ever having a basketball. And you know, I think they ran out and threw up and they came back. Reporters told me after they were so stunned that not one player complained. Even for my standard, it was probably an overboard day. I was probably lucky someone didn’t die of a heart attack.
cheap jordans china Roberts:It was surprising we cheap jordans in china won the first qualifying game [against Mexico]. That gave us a little more confidence. Then we won the second game [against France] and everybody was like, „Oh my goodness.” cheap jordans china
cheap air force Moore:We played a very aggressive attacking style. We were a team that defensively very much believed in fast breaks, transition offense. cheap air force
Cheap jordans Simpson:When we went to cheap jordans for sale play Cuba, everybody picked Cuba. They Cheap jordans were taller, they could out jump us, they could shoot from downtown Cheap jordans.
