MOLINE, Illinois (KWQC) – Friday night at Wharton Fieldhouse was a celebration 50 years in the making.

“It’s been amazing” said Sue Smith who played for the very first girls basketball team at Moline high school in the 1974-1975 season.

“It’s just been a super fun night”.

7 of Moline’s 8 seniors from the very first girls basketball team from the class of 1975 were reunited.

“We’re very appreciative for having us all here and getting a chance to reconnect and you know it was just such an important year to all of us.”

A year that changed the game forever.

“I remember when I was in grade school I use to come to Wharton Fieldhouse to the boys games and I would leave here and I would go home and I would get my laundry basket and set it on my dresser I would roll up a pair of socks and go different spots in my bedroom shooting my rolled up socks into the laundry basket pretending like I was on the Moline team.”

All Smith wanted was the same opportunity given to the boys.

“When I was in junior high school, you know I went to my P.E. teacher and said will you help me write letters to State Officials because as a kid I loved to play basketball I mean it was my passion.”

Title 9 became law in 1972. Two years later, Smith got to play on Moline’s first girls interscholastic team for her senior year. The Maroons went a perfect 10-0

“It felt like we waited a long time, we worked hard I think the only thing that was disappointing is we didn’t have a State Tournament for two more years after that so after having a great season my senior year we kind of had nothing to look forward to.”

50 years later, these trailblazing women still share a bond.

“We built an unbelievable comradery amongst our team” said Janet Parks who also played for Moline’s inaugural team.”

“Getting to see everybody again I mean some of them literally I have not seen in fifty years some of them I’ve seen so I just think probably the most special thing to me is just that they actually acknowledged it” said Parks.

Celebrating a legacy that paved the way for women’s basketball to become what it is today.

“I think like so many players have said if you invest in women you know it’s a great product that we have to show-off” said Smith.

Dozens of former Moline players from different generations were in attendance at Wharton Fieldhouse for the celebration.

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