By Ty Sanges
During the mid-1900s, women didn’t have equal opportunities in the world of sports. With limited access to facilities, equipment and uniforms, or women’s teams of their favorite sports not being offered, women struggled to participate in the activities they were passionate about. However, Springfield College’s very own alum Branwen Smith-King created a new path for women, sparking a change on campus for women’s sports.
Born and raised in Bermuda, Smith-King came from a different background from many at Springfield College, but didn’t let this difference stop her from making her mark at the school. In 1974, Smith-King came to campus as a first-year, choosing Springfield as one of the top colleges in the nation for physical education. Her high school principal, a Springfield College graduate, was instrumental in her decision to attend. However, coming from a country in Bermuda, where men and women had equal opportunities in sports, Smith-King quickly discovered Springfield College did not offer a varsity women’s track and field team.
“When I got to Springfield in the fall of ‘74, there wasn’t an equal opportunity for girls,” Smith-King said. “There were varsity teams for some of the traditional women’s sports, but not in track and field. Title IX was a law, but it wasn’t being practiced in many colleges.”
As an exceptional track and field athlete herself, Smith-King wanted to be able to compete at the varsity level. So, she took action.
Along with her roommate, Susan North-Patterson, and others, a group protested the administration in an attempt to commence the creation of a varsity women’s track and field team. Eventually, during Smith-King’s junior year, Springfield College created the team that many had fought hard for. The women quickly proved to the administration that the team could achieve greatness, as they had many outstanding female athletes compete alongside Smith-King.
“It wasn’t just me,” Smith-King noted. “We had several women that were nationally ranked in their respective events. We crushed everybody as a club, and in our first year as a varsity team, we crushed all the schools and won the first-ever New England championships.”
However, Smith-King and many other women still had their struggles, Despite the formation of the women’s team, access to the same training opportunities and accommodations that the men received, did not yet exist.. Smith-King once again had to find a way to ensure even more equality for women at Springfield College.
“Since I was 14, I had been lifting weights,” Smith-King added. “At Springfield, they wouldn’t let me in the weight room. I used to jump up and try to sneak in and watch the guys do their lifts, and one day, one of the men got me in. And I said, ‘Well, if they won’t let me join them, I’m going to beat them.’ I would do deadlifts or squats more than most of the guys, and after that, I was allowed in the weight room. We didn’t realize the implication it had at the time. We just wanted to be like the guys.”
Outside of athletics and track and field, Smith-King had high praise for Springfield College, adding that her overall time at Springfield shaped her into who she is today.
“Springfield College prepared me well,” Smith-King said. “The people I met and the professors I had were all world-class. They were all great role models, and while the [physical education] program was very rigorous, I loved the commitment to helping others and trying to be the best version of yourself.”
Following her time at Springfield, Smith-King coached track and field at Tufts University for 35 years, leaving a substantial impact on the college’s track program and inspiring those that she coached through close bonds with her athletes. While coaching at Tufts, Smith-King also became an assistant coach and athletic trainer for the Bermuda Olympic track and field team. She even got to watch her daughter compete in the Olympics.
“To be around elite athletes, it’s just exciting,” Smith-King stated. “It’s amazing what they put their bodies through in preparation. My younger daughter was an Olympian in London, and she jumped well. She did miss the long jump finals by 2 centimeters, and I was there as a spectator. But, in the 2021 Olympics, the highlight was watching Bermuda win its first gold medal. It was very special.”
Today, Smith-King works for the Bermuda Olympic Association (BOA) following her coaching tenure at Tufts, where she fulfills her lifelong goal of giving back to the country where she grew up.
“It always was a dream when I retired from Tufts to come back home and give back to my country,” Smith-King mentioned. “Working for the BOA has really been enjoyable and it’s a lot of hard work. I loved to see some of our younger athletes come up through the system and provide them with the support they need. I always want to see if I can contribute or help someone achieve their dreams.”
Assisting others from the same background as her to achieve their goals is what Smith-King loves. With her roots stemming from a diverse Bermuda, Smith-King strongly encourages the support and praise of the African Americans who paved the way for us in the world of sports.
“One of the things I love about sport is that it doesn’t matter what color you are, what country you’re from, what language you speak, and more,” Smith-King said. “It’s unfortunate that we just say that [Black History Month] is only in February because it should be celebrated every month and every day. Sports brings us together and shows the diversity in our world.”
Photo courtesy of Springfield College