University of Houston Athletics
50 Years of Title IX: Tanica Jamison
6/30/2022 9:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
First year swimming and diving head coach reflects on Title IX, career, opportunities for women
This June the University of Houston Athletic Department recognizes, celebrates and promotes the 50th Anniversary of Title IX across its social media platforms and website with features, highlights and accomplishments from, and by, female coaches and administrators.
Tanica Jamison, head coach for the Houston swimming and diving team, has spent a large part of her life in sports. Having been around the pool from her youth and student-athlete days, Jamison arrived in Houston with an bulky and outstanding resume. In her first year with the Cougars, Jamison led Houston to its sixth-consecutive American Athletic Conference Tournament title while earning The American's Women's Swimming Coach of the Year. Prior to Houston, Jamison spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Texas A&M from 2011-15 before being promoted to associate head coach from 2016 to 2021. A native of Monongahela, Penn., Jamison earned a full-ride scholarship to swim at the University of Texas from 2000-2003, collecting All-American honors 11 times and winning two NCAA Championships with a Team MVP award in 2003. During her time in College Station, Jamison managed to help 133 swimmers and divers reach NCAA qualifiers, with six becoming NCAA individual champions. To celebrate and reflect on the last half-century of Title IX, we reached out to Jamison to hear about the impact the bill had on her life.
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Houston Athletics: What does Title IX mean to you?
Tanica Jamison: When I think of what Title IX means for me it means opportunity and equality. I recently read Pat Summitt's book, "Sum it Up." It was a glimpse to the start of her successful coaching career but also shared insight on her experiences as they entered their first years playing with Title IX. It really put into perspective of where women's athletics started, how it has grown, and how much growth is needed.Â
UH: What do you think are some misconceptions about Title IX?
TJ: I think some of the misconceptions that I've heard is that Title IX only applies to athletics, that Title IX requires male athletic programs to be cut (that is the discretion of each university I believe), and that Title IX only protects the rights of women. Title IX protects all genders.
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UH: How would you describe Title IX's effect on your life?
TJ:Â Title IX gave me an opportunity to receive a full-ride scholarship to continue competing in the sport that I loved at the highest level, while providing an education, and ultimately an undergraduate degree. Without Title IX, as it pertains to athletic scholarships, it would have been hard for me to afford college, let alone being able to continue to compete.
Â
UH: What impact did sports have on you growing up?
TJ: I am an athlete, though I am not defined by my athletic abilities, it is part of who I am. Growing up I loved watching and playing a lot of sports. My twin sister and I were always playing and competing, there were not many days in our youth that we were not active doing something outside, on the court or in the pool. Sports helped me build confidence, it helped me learn from my successes and failures, it taught me how to communicate with my teammates and coaches, and most of all it helped me become the leader that I am today.
Â
UH: What emphasis was there on teaching Title IX to you when you were younger compared to how it is emphasized and taught today?
TJ: Title IX, I believe has more emphasis today than ever, highlighted by our student-athletes around the country. We understood what Title IX was as a student-athlete, and the paths that others made for us at the time to compete. As I mentioned earlier, Title IX has opened doors for women's athletics, but there is still a long way to go.
Â
UH: How much do you think women's sports and opportunities in that field have grown thanks to Title IX?
TJ: When it comes to my role and other women who are the head coach of their programs, I believe there are more opportunities for women to lead more than ever. I really hope this trend continues and that we will see more women leading programs in all sports and divisions. I am a firm believer in representation. Representation matters!
Â
Tanica Jamison, head coach for the Houston swimming and diving team, has spent a large part of her life in sports. Having been around the pool from her youth and student-athlete days, Jamison arrived in Houston with an bulky and outstanding resume. In her first year with the Cougars, Jamison led Houston to its sixth-consecutive American Athletic Conference Tournament title while earning The American's Women's Swimming Coach of the Year. Prior to Houston, Jamison spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Texas A&M from 2011-15 before being promoted to associate head coach from 2016 to 2021. A native of Monongahela, Penn., Jamison earned a full-ride scholarship to swim at the University of Texas from 2000-2003, collecting All-American honors 11 times and winning two NCAA Championships with a Team MVP award in 2003. During her time in College Station, Jamison managed to help 133 swimmers and divers reach NCAA qualifiers, with six becoming NCAA individual champions. To celebrate and reflect on the last half-century of Title IX, we reached out to Jamison to hear about the impact the bill had on her life.Â
Houston Athletics: What does Title IX mean to you?
Tanica Jamison: When I think of what Title IX means for me it means opportunity and equality. I recently read Pat Summitt's book, "Sum it Up." It was a glimpse to the start of her successful coaching career but also shared insight on her experiences as they entered their first years playing with Title IX. It really put into perspective of where women's athletics started, how it has grown, and how much growth is needed.Â
UH: What do you think are some misconceptions about Title IX?
TJ: I think some of the misconceptions that I've heard is that Title IX only applies to athletics, that Title IX requires male athletic programs to be cut (that is the discretion of each university I believe), and that Title IX only protects the rights of women. Title IX protects all genders.
Â
UH: How would you describe Title IX's effect on your life?
TJ:Â Title IX gave me an opportunity to receive a full-ride scholarship to continue competing in the sport that I loved at the highest level, while providing an education, and ultimately an undergraduate degree. Without Title IX, as it pertains to athletic scholarships, it would have been hard for me to afford college, let alone being able to continue to compete.
Â
UH: What impact did sports have on you growing up?
TJ: I am an athlete, though I am not defined by my athletic abilities, it is part of who I am. Growing up I loved watching and playing a lot of sports. My twin sister and I were always playing and competing, there were not many days in our youth that we were not active doing something outside, on the court or in the pool. Sports helped me build confidence, it helped me learn from my successes and failures, it taught me how to communicate with my teammates and coaches, and most of all it helped me become the leader that I am today.
Â
UH: What emphasis was there on teaching Title IX to you when you were younger compared to how it is emphasized and taught today?TJ: Title IX, I believe has more emphasis today than ever, highlighted by our student-athletes around the country. We understood what Title IX was as a student-athlete, and the paths that others made for us at the time to compete. As I mentioned earlier, Title IX has opened doors for women's athletics, but there is still a long way to go.
Â
UH: How much do you think women's sports and opportunities in that field have grown thanks to Title IX?
TJ: When it comes to my role and other women who are the head coach of their programs, I believe there are more opportunities for women to lead more than ever. I really hope this trend continues and that we will see more women leading programs in all sports and divisions. I am a firm believer in representation. Representation matters!
Â
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