CMS Receives a Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching Grant from the Women’s Sports Foundation®
CLAREMONT, Calif. – Claremont-Mudd-Scripps announced today it received a Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching grant from the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF). Grants were awarded to institutions to support collegiate women coaches on the rise, assisting with living expenses, professional development and mentorship. CMS is one of 10 athletic departments to receive the grants, which are designated for women coaching fellows in a wide variety of women's sports.
Keilee Bessho, who is in her second season as an assistant coach with the CMS women's golf program, was named a WSF VanDerveer Fellow. Bessho was part of an Athena program that finished third at the NCAA Division III Championships a year ago, the program's second-highest finish behind its national championship season in 2018.
In just over one season, Bessho has been a part of a coaching staff that has led the women's golf program to new team scoring records over 18 holes, 36 holes and 54 holes. During that time, she has also coached individuals to a program-record 67 on five different occasions, three of them coming on Monday in the 2023 season opener, when CMS set the program's 18-hole record (-8) for the second time in her tenure. In addition to her coaching role at CMS, the grant will also allow her to assist in the athletic communications office.
"We are proud to be a member of this year's class of the Women's Sports Foundation VanDerveer Fund recipients," said Erica Perkins Jasper, William B. Arce Director of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation and George R. Roberts Fellow at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. "We recognize the critical importance of closing the gender gap in the coaching ranks, and seeing more women in these influential roles helps inspire our female scholar-leader-athletes. It is clear that Keilee has a tremendous future in the coaching industry, and this grant will allow us to augment the longstanding success of our national champion women's golf program, while also benefitting the entire athletic department with her role on our communications staff."
Since Title IX's passage, the percentage of women in collegiate coaching roles has declined by more than 50%. During the 1970-71 academic year, 90% of women's college teams had women as head coaches. Fast forward to the 2021-2022 academic year, where women held only 41% of head coaching positions in women's NCAA sports. Furthermore, BIPOC women, who have historically been under-represented in the coaching ranks, held only 7% of head coaching roles in women's NCAA sports. In the same year, only 28% of all NCAA assistant coaches were women, with only 7% of all assistant coaches for men's and women's teams being BIPOC women.
According to the data, there is a clear lack of representation in coaching positions throughout the country; WSF is addressing this by growing the pipeline at the collegiate level by awarding grants from the VanDerveer Fund. Throughout the grant year, WSF implements a program for VanDerveer Fellows that opens doors to mentoring opportunities with coaches and leaders in the collegiate space, including a call with Tara VanDerveer and invitations to workshops addressing topics to help aspiring women coaches thrive in today's collegiate sports landscape.
The Fund has seen success and has made an impact during its short lifespan. Out of the first four classes, 25 VanDerveer Fellows continue to lead in coaching roles, six have stepped into head coaching positions and four have used their fellowship experience to secure jobs in a sports-related field.
"We at the Women's Sports Foundation know that building a strong pipeline for women in leadership is vital to ensure the sports ecosystem for girls and women continues to grow on and off the field of play," said WSF CEO Danette Leighton. "When girls and young women have powerful role models to look up to, such as coaches and beyond, it empowers them to keep playing and strive to reach their own full potential. That is why we are determined to continue our work to close the coaching gender gap with this important Fund that honors Tara VanDerveer's history-making legacy."
To learn more about the VanDerveer Fund and meet the 2023 grant recipients, please visit:
WSF Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching
About the Women's Sports Foundation
The Women's Sports Foundation exists to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sport and life. We are an ally, an advocate and a catalyst. Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, we strengthen and expand participation and leadership opportunities through research, advocacy, community programming and a wide variety of collaborative partnerships. From its inception to Title IX's 50th anniversary in 2022, WSF has invested over $100 million in these impact efforts, helping to shape the lives of millions of youth, high school and collegiate student-athletes, elite athletes and coaches. We're building a future where every girl and woman can #KeepPlaying and unlock the lifelong benefits of sport participation. All girls. All women. All sports® To learn more about the Women's Sports Foundation, please visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org.