Penn State Athletics launches a women’s athletic network

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State announced its launch of Teammates for Life, an initiative to connect women athletes.

Teammates for Life will be led by recently retired Penn State Field Hockey Coach Char Morett Curtiss who looked to universities like Louisville and UNC with similar programs, and felt Penn State needed the same network.

“We really should be thinking about this at Penn State,” said Curtiss.“We have such a storied women’s athletic program.”

Curtiss noted the start of women’s athletics success at Penn State dating back to the 1970s when Title IX was first enacted. Despite her coaching career coming to an end, Curtiss felt there was still more to be done with women’s athletics.

“Knowing my coaching career was going toward the sunset, I really thought ‘What am I going to be doing next?’” said Curtiss.

After speaking to Penn State athletic administrator, Pat Kraft, Curtiss joined him in the athletic department to get to work on Teammates for Life, an idea that had been blooming within her for a few years.

“I’ve been so fortunate to have been able to segue away from something I loved dearly with Penn State to something I love dearly again with Penn State,” said Curtiss.

Now that Curtiss had the idea and the support, she needed a team. Some members of the advisory board Curtiss mentioned are Maribeth Roman Schmidt, Elizabeth King, Susan Robinson-Fruchtl, E. Lee Beard, Maura Pilewicz, Tara Rowlyk Hohenshelt and Brandi Stuart.

“As a coach, it’s really important to get smart people around you, and people who are willing to grind and get after it,” said Curtiss. “That are passionate in the same way I am.”

These are women Curtiss believes are great leaders on campus and in the community who will be incredible leaders for Teammates for Life.

The initiative held a social in May to jumpstart this network of women and to give a vision of what these connections could look like in the future.

“We want to create this expansive net of Penn Staters supporting our women,” Curtiss said.

Some upcoming events planned are a tailgate for homecoming paired with the Varsity ‘S’ Club at Penn State and a mindfulness talk done by Jen Burdis, former Penn State volleyball player and competitor on American Ninja Warrior.

“I feel like this is such a great way to spend my senior year, building something I know is going to withstand my college career,” said Kathryn Tague, a fourth-year majoring in public relations.

Tague, alongside others, helps Curtiss with the communications side of the Teammates for Life operation.

“I just want to say, these women motivate me,” said Curtiss. “I’m amazed at the way they have embraced this.”

Teammates for Life has plans to grow into a well-connected network of women, especially due to Penn State’s unique community.

Cassie Baylis is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email ceb6085@psu.edu.