UW-Oshkosh To Host National Girls & Women In Sports Day Event
Sharon Couch, a two-time U.S. Track & Field Olympian and one of the most decorated female student-athletes in the history of the University of North Carolina, will be the guest presenter as UW-Oshkosh Athletics and the UW-Oshkosh Women's Center celebrate National Girls & Women In Sports Day with a special virtual program Wednesday (Feb. 3).
The 90-minute program, funded by the UW-Oshkosh University Speaker Series, begins at 7 p.m. and will be available free to the public through Microsoft Teams (https://bit.ly/35m2d1n).
Couch recounts her journey of ambition, pain and perseverance to achieve her academic dreams and ultimately her Olympic achievement during the presentation. Her story reveals what is possible when you push yourself to set goals and move past roadblocks and highlights the value of finding inspiration in others and having the support of a team when faced with setbacks.
A 1991 graduate of the University of North Carolina, Couch was a five-time NCAA All-America performer who went on to represent the United States in the long jump at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
From 1991 to 2001, the Rice, Va., native represented adidas while competing professionally around the globe. She was a member of five U.S. World Championship teams as a long jumper while attaining world rankings of seventh (2000) and ninth (1999) in the 100-meter hurdles.
Couch spent most of her post-competitive years employed in various corporate pursuits that utilized her high-energy personality and competitive spirit. Couch has worked in corporate America for companies such as Kraft General Foods, Franklin Covey and Quest Communications. Couch served as the national director of retail account training for the Masai Barefoot Technology brand.
Feeling the need to make her Olympic experiences count and create a legacy, Couch began a coaching career at the University of Tennessee in 2010. Couch served as an assistant track & field coach for the Lady Vols and produced numerous Southeastern Conference champions and NCAA All-Americans.
In 2014, Couch decided to follow her goal of furthering her education and began a graduate program in sport psychology while working as a graduate teaching assistant for the Student Success Center on the University of Tennessee campus.
After achieving her master's degree in 2016, Couch was hired as an academic advisor for the University of Tennessee's College of Education Human Health and Sciences. Her specialty was working with kinesiology and sport management students.
Couch has also begun her next Olympic climb with the continued pursuit of a PhD in sport psychology. Her research interest is cultural sport psychology interventions to support people of color as they pursue social justice, advocacy, and activism in their respective performance areas.
Two years ago, Couch was promoted to Student Life and Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator for the Herbert College of Agriculture at the University of Tennessee. She serves more than 1,400 students and numerous professional staff, and faculty across two campus entities. She has also served as a chairperson for the Chancellor's Commission for Blacks at the University of Tennessee.
The National Girls and Women in Sports Day is an annual day of observance held during the first week of February to acknowledge the accomplishments of female athletes, recognize the influence of sports participation for women and girls, and honor the progress and continuing struggle for equality for women in sports.
Each year since its inception in 1987, the United States Congress recognizes women's contributions to sports and society. National Girls and Women in Sports Day features community-based events, notable women athletes, awards and other activities. The events are organized by members of the National Girls & Women in Sports Day Coalition, including the Women's Sports Foundation, National Women's Law Center, the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition, and Girls, Inc..
For more information, contact Alicia Johnson, UW-Oshkosh Women's Center Director, at (920) 424-0963 or johnsoal@uwosh.edu.