Of all the bills enacted in a legislative career spanning parts of five decades, the late Hawaii Congresswoman Patsy Mink liked to speak of one especially close to her heart.

“It’s rare as a legislator that you fight for legislation you believe in and stay around or live long enough to see it come to fruition,” Mink said of one that held a special place, what we have come to know as Title IX.

At the time, 20 years ago, it was often cited and celebrated in relation to the United States’ domination of women’s basketball. But these days, 13 years after her death, she might marvel especially at the role the landmark legislation has had on the “world’s sport” — soccer — one not born on these shores and for which the U. S. wasn’t as well known. 

As the U. S. prepares for the World Cup final Sunday against Japan, and a shot at becoming the event’s first three-time champion (the U.S. has never finished lower than third), Title IX has played a critical role.

We’re reminded of that with every reference made to Julie Johnston having played at Santa Clara, Carli Lloyd at Rutgers or Alex Morgan at Cal. All 23 players on the roster benefitted from college soccer scholarships, something unheard of prior to the advent of Title IX.

Officially known as Title IX of the federal Education Amendments of 1972 when first passed and now as the “Patsy T. Mink Opportunity in Education Act,” it mandates equal educational opportunities for the sexes at institutions receiving federal funds.

Initially seen as forcing a breakthrough in academic opportunities — fellowships, scholarships and post graduate admissions — its impact has empowered women while reshaping the landscape of athletics.

Consider that when Title IX was passed not only was there no national championship in women’s soccer, hardly any varsity teams existed and few scholarships were awarded for playing it.

When Mink co-authored Title IX with Edith Green of Oregon as a member of the U. S. House Education and Labor Committee, steering it through several years of floor fights, athletics for women was but a twinkle in the eyes of dreamers and resolute reformers. 

The only woman with an athletic scholarship among 8,245 female undergraduates at the University of Hawaii at the time was the drum majorette. Among $1 million spent on athletics in Manoa, just $5,000 went to women’s club sports. And UH wasn’t far from the national norm.

Slowly, but surely, soccer gained a foothold and now flourishes. Consider that for the 1981-82 academic year, when the first NCAA national championship was held, there were 1,825 women playing soccer across the NCAA’s Division I, II and II levels. In 2013-14 there were 26,358, according to an NCAA study.  

In 1981-82 just 80 schools fielded teams for women. But by  2013-14 there were 1,022. Only two sports, volleyball and cross country, are more well represented for women. 

A FIFA report says there are now more registered female soccer players in the U.S. than in Germany, England, France and Spain combined. 

You surmise Mink might get a kick out of that.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.