Course Correction : A Story of Rowing and Resilience in the Wake of Title IX

Wild meets The Boys in the Boat , a memoir about the quest for Olympic gold and the triumph of love over fear Ginny Gilder grew up in an era where girls mostly sat on the sidelines--as observers and cheerleaders, not competitors and champions. Raised in a family where business acumen was treasured as the ultimate trophy, she toed the line of her father's expectations. To Gilder, that meant the pursuit of academic excellence. However, once at Yale, her operating assumptions changed nearly overnight when as a freshman in 1975 she discovered rowing. From her first strokes as a novice, Gilder found herself in a new world. At Yale, she trained with Olympic rowers and participated in the famous Title IX naked protest, which helped define the Title IX movement. Course Correction recounts the physical and psychological barriers Gilder overcame as she transformed into an elite athlete who reached the highest echelon of her sport. Taking... “Beautiful and important on many levels, Course Correction is about rowing and so much more . . . Ultimately it is about the transforming power of love, and, damnit all, it made me cry.” —Daniel James Brown, author of The Boys in the Boat Wild meets The Boys in the Boat— a memoir about the quest for Olympic gold and the triumph of love over fear Forty years ago, when a young Ginny Gilder stood on the edge of Boston’s Charles River and first saw a rowing shell in motion, it was love at first sight. Yearning to escape her family history, which included her mother’s emotional unraveling and her father’s singular focus on investment acumen as the ultimate trophy, Gilder discovered rowing at a pivotal moment in her life. Having grown up in an era when girls were only beginning to abandon the sidelines as observers and cheerleaders to become competitors and national champions, Gilder harbored no dreams of athletic stardom. Once at Yale, however, her operating assumptions changed nearly overnight when, as a freshman in 1975, she found her way to the university’s rowing tanks in the gymnasium’s cavernous basement. From her first strokes as a novice, Gilder found herself in a new world, training with Olympic rowers and participating in the famous Title IX naked protest, which helped define the movement for equality in college sports. Short, asthmatic, and stubborn, Gilder made the team against all odds and for the next ten years devoted herself to answering a seemingly simple question: how badly do you want to go fast? Course Correction recounts the physical and psychological barriers Gilder overcame as she transformed into an elite athlete who reached the highest echelon of her sport. Set against the backdrop of unprecedented cultural change, Gilder’s story personalizes the impact of Title IX, illustrating the life-changing lessons learned in sports but felt far beyond the athletic arena. Heartfelt and candid, Gilder recounts lessons learned from her journey as it wends its way from her first glimpse of an oar to the Olympic podium in 1984, carries her through family tragedy, strengthens her to accept her true sexual identity, and ultimately frees her to live her life on her terms. This Story Is Rooted In The Power Of Sport, But It Is Not A Sports Memoir. Yes, Course Correction Chronicles One Young Woman's Transformation From A Couch Potato-in-training Into An Elite Athlete Who Reached The Highest Echelon Of Her Sport. In Addition, The Book Offers A Persuasive Example Of The Enormous Impact Of Sports Participation On The Rest Of Life And Validates The Power, Import, And Necessity Of Title Ix. Just Like Ginny, Girls Everywhere Deserve The Chance Not Only To Dream Of Athletic Stardom, But To Reach For It. Ginny Discovered Rowing As A Freshman At Yale. From Her First Strokes As A Novice, Ginny Found Herself In A New World. Starting With Her First Practice, She Trained Alongside Two Olympics-bound Rowers. Then A Mere Handful Of Months Into Her Freshman Year, She Participated In The Now Renowned Title Ix Naked Protest On Campus. That Event Not Only Forced Yale To Provide Equal Access To Sports Facilities For Its Women Athletes, But Helped Mold The Future Of Women's Crew Programs Across The Country. Course Correction Recounts The Physical And Psychological Barriers Ginny Had To Confront And Overcome To Achieve The Extraordinary. Taking Place Against A Backdrop Of Unprecedented Cultural Change, Ginny's Story Personalizes The Impact Of Title Ix, Demonstrating The Life-changing Effects Of Lessons Learned In Sports Far Beyond The Athletic Fields Of Play. Her Journey Wends Its Way To The Olympic Podium In 1984, Detouring Through The 1980 Olympics, Which The United States Boycotted At Then-president Jimmy Carter's Insistence, Carries Her Through Family Tragedy, Strengthens Her To Face Her Own Demons And Truths, And Ultimately Frees Her To Live Her Life Despite Her Persistent Fear Of Loss-- Prologue: Changing Course -- Catch -- Drive -- Release -- Recovery -- Epilogue. Ginny Gilder. Includes Bibliographical References. "This story is rooted in the power of sport, but it is not a sports memoir. Yes, Course Correction chronicles one young woman's transformation from a couch potato-in-training into an elite athlete who reached the highest echelon of her sport. In addition, the book offers a persuasive example of the enormous impact of sports participation on the rest of life and validates the power, import, and necessity of Title IX. Just like Ginny, girls everywhere deserve the chance not only to dream of athletic stardom, but to reach for it. Ginny discovered rowing as a freshman at Yale. From her first strokes as a novice, Ginny found herself in a new world. Starting with her first practice, she trained alongside two Olympics-bound rowers. Then a mere handful of months into her freshman year, she participated in the now renowned Title IX naked protest on campus. That event not only forced Yale to provide equal access to sports facilities for its women athletes, but helped mold the future of women's crew programs across the country. Course Correction recounts the physical and psychological barriers Ginny had to confront and overcome to achieve the extraordinary. Taking place against a backdrop of unprecedented cultural change, Ginny's story personalizes the impact of Title IX, demonstrating the life-changing effects of lessons learned in sports far beyond the athletic fields of play. Her journey wends its way to the Olympic podium in 1984, detouring through the 1980 Olympics, which the United States boycotted at then-president Jimmy Carter's insistence, carries her through family tragedy, strengthens her to face her own demons and truths, and ultimately frees her to live her life despite her persistent fear of loss"-- Provided by publisher The author describes her rise in the sport of rowing, which came in the wake of Title IX, describing both her personal and professional challenges and accomplishments on her way to the 1984 Olympic Games