"Training Rules" at Penn State?

Training Rules

2009

“Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” Coach Vince Lombardi

That oft quoted adage evidently held true at Penn State University for the 25 years that Rene Portland coached the women’s basketball team. Yes, Coach Portland won a number of Big Ten titles, and, yes, she had the endorsement of Penn State icon, Joe Paterno, but was winning the only thing?

Documentary filmmaker, Dee Mosbacher opens the film with one-time star player for the Lady Lions, Jennifer Lewis reading a statement from her attorney that basically forbade the college student to speak about her lawsuit against the university. But there was no shortage of players willing to speak on camera stating that Portland had forced them out of the game, and not for their skills on the court.

“1. No drinking. 2. No drugs. 3. No lesbians.” Coach Rene Portland

All former players interviewed for “Training Rules” had strong academic credentials and were living their dream, attending Penn State University on basketball scholarships. If Portland suspected a player was involved with another woman or even socializing with a woman she suspected of being a lesbian, she took action. On numerous occasions, Portland benched productive star players, threatened to take away their scholarships, and “uninvited” them back to the team.

Why her blatant discrimination was ignored by university officials and NCAA representatives over the years is boggling and is addressed in the film by numerous experts in the field of women’s sports (alas, no other coaches commented on the issue).

“We are each burdened with prejudice; against the poor or the rich, the smart or the slow, the gaunt or the obese.  It is natural to develop prejudices.  It is noble to rise above them.” Author Unknown

Prejudice should never be tolerated on or off the court and a coach who uses his or her position to judge a lifestyle different than her own should be admonished. Portland worked at Penn State for 25 years and the fact that it took that long for the university to enforce a non-discrimination policy is unacceptable. What if her locker room sign had said, “No drinking. No drugs. No Jews or Blacks or Catholics”?

“Training Rules” presents a side of prejudice that needs to be addressed openly. This is the 21^st Century.