An interview with PCPFS Council Member Lillian Greene-Chamberlain, Ph.D.

Were sports or outdoor play an important part of your life when you were growing up?

When I was growing up in New York City, physical education was mandated in the public schools. Fortunately, my Harlem community provided a myriad of activities and safe venues in which to participate, and it seemed like just about everyone was involved in some sort of physical activity. Girls played tag, hop scotch, ping pong, kick ball, dodge ball, softball, volleyball, “girls rule” basketball, and jumped double dutch. Boys played catch, stick ball, basketball, baseball, and flag football. We roller skated and rode our bikes. We ran track, swam in community center pools, took dance lessons, and ice skated. The public schools offered lots of activities, including academic enrichment in their after-school and evening community center programs during the school year, and operated vacation day camps during the summer months. In addition to the school’s involvement, nationally affiliated sports organizations such as the Police Athletic League (PAL), Catholic Youth Organization, YWCA, YMCA, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and other community based youth serving organizations, provided activities, programs, recreation leagues, and sports tournaments for its neighborhood youth.

How did you get your start in track and field?

When I was eight years old, I was discovered racing and beating the boys in my elementary school yard by a New York City patrolman. After getting permission from my parents, he enrolled me in the Harlem Police Athletic League’s (PAL) sports program. By the time I was 12, I received the PAL Athlete of the Year honors in track and field, basketball and softball. By age 16, I had graduated from high school and was enrolled in college. At 17 years of age, I became the first United States National Champion in 800m before it became an Olympic event, and the first African-American woman to represent the United States in the 400m and 800m in international competitions in Russia, Poland, Hungary and Greece.

Did you face any obstacles in your sport (particularly given the time during which you were competing)?

As far back as I can remember, I was told, “Lillian, you can’t do that…you can’t play that…you’re a girl…you’ll get hurt.” Then later on I was told, “You must be kidding.” “Females can’t run that far.” “That’s never been done before.” “You’ll never accomplish that.” “You’re dreaming.” “It’ll never happen.”

It wasn’t easy being a female student athlete in the late 50’s and early 60’s. There was no such concept as “Gender Equity” back then. There was no Amateur Sports Act, and Title IX did not exist. The only organized extra-curricular activities offered for girls by my high school were Glee Club, Dance Club and Cheerleading, and colleges and universities did not offer athletic scholarships to women. The male athletes at my university flew by plane to their competitions; my newly formed four-member women’s track team traveled by car, bus or train. The men received new uniforms and equipment; we were given their hand-me-downs.

Throughout my life I have faced numerous obstacles and challenges, often requiring difficult choices, while stepping over barriers both athletically and professionally. I have often been the first person, first woman, first African-American or first American accomplishing something or serving in a position. I have never feared however, being the first or only one. Early on, my parents taught me a powerful secret of life. They said, “The spirit of the pioneer is free! When you are the first to accomplish something, you can’t really make a mistake, because no one has done it before.” They were right!

What was your primary focus when you were appointed the first Director of the Physical Education and Sports Program for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO, located in Paris, France) in 1978?

I was responsible for the conception, planning, development and implementation of all projects, programs and activities related to physical education and sport in the 161 member nations of UNESCO throughout the world.

My decade-long tenure was notable for the challenges that I faced in carrying out my duties as a female working in a predominantly all-male bastion throughout the world. I collaborated with the International Olympic Committee, national Olympic committees, international sports federations, and national ministries of physical education, youth, sports, and culture.

One of my most significant achievements during my tenure was assisting in the development and adoption in 1979 of the “International Charter of Physical Education and Sport” by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee. In addition to its general meaning for males and females alike, each of the ten Articles of the Charter has a unique perspective with regard to both girls and women.

Given the severity of some of the issues children around this world face, do you feel sports and physical activity or exercise are important to their growth and development?

The way humankind play, train and perfect themselves by means of physical activity is based on beliefs, ways of thinking and attitudes which form part of the culture, and may differ from decade to decade, generation to generation and from society to society. Sports can serve as a vehicle to teach ways in which we can better respect gender differences, racial harmonies, and the roles of adults in shaping the lives of youth.

The positive influence of sport for youth allows young people to grow at an individual pace while learning intrinsic values such as relationship building, self-esteem, respect, discipline, and camaraderie…focal points for character and motor-skills development. Excelling in sports takes hard work: practice, teamwork, cooperation and personal effort. If these traits can be applied to other aspects of life, opportunities for growth and development will abound.

Is there more that needs to be done to promote sports participation in the U.S.?

The physical activity system for American youth has disintegrated over the last 30 years. Mandatory daily physical education is disappearing from our schools. In many neighborhoods, after-school free play is limited, because parents are concerned about their children’s safety. Organized sports are often expensive and not accessible to economically disadvantaged children living in low-income communities, or to children living in rural areas. Even under good circumstances, girls are more adversely affected and are more likely than boys to drop out of physical activities and sport by the end of high school.

In order to promote and increase physical activity and sports participation in the United States for everyone, regardless of age, race, gender, income level or physical ability, there must be a commitment of resources from public-private partnerships (involving federal, state, local governments and the private sector), and the close collaboration and coordination of community efforts through schools, educators, health professionals, families, parks and recreation facilities, places of worship, and youth serving organizations.

How has your involvement in track and field helped you professionally?

Participating in sports gave me confidence, self-esteem and a sense of empowerment that I could be successful in anything that I attempted, through strategic thinking, realistic goal-setting, hard work, persistence and courage. It prepared me for the serious competition of life, and I used the lessons that I learned as tools to succeed in progressing from the locker room to the board room.