Center for Archival Collections

Introduction | Biographical Sketch | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

 Introduction

The "BGSU Women’s Basketball: A Legacy of Excellence" collection contains materials related to the WBGU-TV television documentary written and produced by Sue Hager and Larry Weiss. The collection was donated to the Center for Archival Collections by Hager and Weiss during the spring of 2011. The collection spans from 2008 through 2010. The one cubic foot of material includes correspondence, office files, research notes, transcripts, photographs, and computer media.

The register was completed by undergraduate student archival assistant Rebecca Denes and Dana Nemeth, Library Associate II, in June 2012.

 Biographical Sketch

Sue Hager and Larry Weiss are both retirees of Bowling Green State University. Hager served as the head coach of the Women’s Basketball program from 1972 – 1976. Weiss graduated from BGSU in 1967, returning to the university in 1973 to work in the office of Alumni Affairs. He worked at the university for 40 years before retiring from his final posting as Vice President for University Relations and Governmental Affairs.

In 2008, Weiss was approached by then-University President Sidney Ribeau to develop and produce a documentary and accompanying book about the history of the BGSU Women’s Basketball program. Weiss enlisted the assistance of Hager and the two of them began to research the history of the program in order to complete the documentary and book. In addition to performing original research, the pair interviewed a number of team members and coaches, from seasons spanning from 1962 – 2010. While the plans for the accompanying book were never fulfilled, the documentary was completed and premiered on August 26, 2010 at a University reception for the participants. It went on to air on WBGU-TV and continues to be available for purchase from the television station in DVD format.

 Scope and Content

The scope of this collection covers the production and completion of the documentary, as well as research files on the history of the BGSU Women’s Basketball program. It should be noted that Hager’s and Weiss’ papers were donated individually but combined together in this collection.

The information relating directly to the documentary includes correspondence between Hager, Weiss, and various parties. It provides direct details related to the planning and execution of the documentary and the proposed book. It appears that the decision to focus solely on the documentary was made early in the process. The office files include details related to the various planning stages of the book, documentary, and DVD.

The history of the BGSU Women’s Basketball program is represented very well through the research files in the collection. There are several copied pages of Key Yearbooks from 1924 – 1979, creating a concise history of Women’s Basketball at BGSU. A handwritten chronology compiled by Hager shows the key events that define the history of the program. Speeches given by Weiss at the documentary’s premiere and drafts of the documentary’s script round out the collection.

Most significant in the collection are the thirty-four interview transcripts of the documentary’s participants, as well as unedited interview video for several of them. Of the transcripts, thirty-one of them contain handwritten production notes and transcription corrections. Although the majority of the interviewees were players, seven of the program’s former coaches were interviewed for the documentary. Dorothy Luedtke, who was the head coach from 1962 – 1966, passed away shortly before the completion of the documentary. Her interview can be found within the collection as both a transcript and an unedited video. Pat Peterson took over the team and coached from 1966 – 1972; a transcript of her interview is included. The interviews of both of these women give insight into the state of Women’s University Athletics prior to the institution of Title IX. Sue Hager, coach from 1972 – 1976, was the first intercollegiate coach following the changes created by Title IX. Along with Hager, the transcript of Nora Liu, coach from 1976 – 1978, demonstrates the difficulties that were still faced by women’s athletics during the 1970s. Kathy Bole coached the team from 1978 – 1984 and was the first alumni to do so. From 1984 – 1991, Fran Voll led a team that participated in two Mid-American Conference championships. The final coach interviewed, Curt Miller, was the head coach at the time of the filming and served from 2001 – 2012. Under Miller, the Falcons were part of the Sweet Sixteen in the 2006 NCAA Tournament.

Approximately sixty photographs are included that were collected by Weiss and Hager for use in the documentary. These include official team photos from several seasons, action shots, posed portraits of players and coaches, and a small number of candid photos. The majority of the photographs were used within the documentary to illustrate the historical information as well as the individual interviews. Although not part of this collection, the DVD of the documentary is cataloged as part of the Center’s holdings (CAC Video 220).

The collection provides a deeper understanding of the mechanics of documentary production, as well as of the history of BGSU Women’s Basketball. The inclusion of interview transcripts for a majority of the documentary participants and unedited video of several participants introduces additional information that is not found within the edited interviews included in the documentary. In addition, the presence of the research files within the collection allows for those interested in any facet of the history of BGSU’s women’s basketball program to have a centralized location in which to begin their research.

 Series Description

CORRESPONDENCE

CORRESPONDENCE
2008 – 2010
3 folders
Correspondence between producers Sue Hager and Larry Weiss and others regarding all phases of production and completion of the project. Arranged chronologically.

SUBJECT/CASE FILES

OFFICE FILES
2008 – 2010
6 folders
Contact lists of participants and potential participants in the documentary, notes and an incomplete proposal for the book project, notes relating directly to the production of the documentary, notes relating directly to the production of the DVD, and information regarding the event planning of the August 26, 2010 premiere. Arranged by type and date.

LITERARY PRODUCTIONS

RESEARCH NOTES
2008 – 2010
10 folders
General research notes, photocopies of Key yearbook pages 1924 – 1979, handwritten historical chronology of the women’s basketball program, team and coach rosters, player statistics, printed materials used in research, news clippings from 2008 – 2010 used in research, notes and schedules for participant interviews, handwritten pages of interview questions for several participants. Arranged by type and date.

TRANSCRIPTS
2008 – 2010
35 folders
Six interviews of coaches, one of whom also played in the program, and twenty-nine interviews of players spanning from the 1960s to the 2010s. Thirty-two of the interview transcripts are annotated, three are not. Dates for the interviews were extrapolated from the interview schedules found in the research notes. Arranged alphabetically by name of interviewee.

SPEECHES
2010
1 folder
Introduction speech and closing address given by Larry Weiss at the August 26, 2010 documentary premiere, both with annotations.

SCRIPTS
2008 – 2010
4 folders
Drafts and final version of the documentary’s script, two rough versions annotated. Arranged chronologically.

SCRAPBOOKS & NEWSCLIPPINGS

NEWSCLIPPINGS
2010
1 folder
Publicity clippings about the documentary. Arranged chronologically.

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL

PHOTOGRAPHS - INDIVIDUAL
1977 – 2000
12 folders
Quantity varies by folder, total of twenty-two photographs in twelve folders. Black and white posed portraits, color action snapshots, black and white action snapshots, slides, black and white scans; varying sizes including 3.5x4, 5x7, and 8x10. Arranged alphabetically by name of individual.

PHOTOGRAPHS - POSED TEAM
1962 – 1989
1 folder
Twelve photographs, six of which include rosters. Black and white posted portraits, black and white scans; 5x7, 8x10, and larger. Arranged chronologically.

PHOTOGRAPHS - ACTION SHOTS
1978 – 2009, n.d.
1 folder
Sixteen photographs. Color action snapshots, black and white action snapshots, color scans, black and white scans; varying sizes including 3x4, 5x7, and 8x10. Arranged chronologically

PHOTOGRAPHS - POSED AND AWARDS
[197-] – 2005
1 folder
Six photographs. Color snapshots, black and white posed portraits, color posed portaits; varying sizes including 4x6, 5x7, and 8x10. Arranged chronologically.

PHOTOGRAPHS - MISC. PHOTO COLLAGES
n.d.
1 folder
Three photographs. Two 8.5x11 photo collages, one color and one black and white, one photo of a plaque dedicated to BGSU women’s sports from 1921 – 1977. Arranged by type.

COMPUTER MEDIA

COMPUTER MEDIA
2008 -2010, n.d.
7 folders
Two CDs of assorted photographs, one CD of photography from a WNIT championship, one data DVD containing a small number of transcripts in MS Word file format, one data DVD containing several unedited interview videos in .mov Quicktime format, one DVD containing three unedited interviews in standard DVD format, and one DVD containing a full rough cut of the documentary in standard DVD format. Arranged by type and in rough chronological order.

 Inventory

Box 1

Folders

1. Correspondence, 2008
2. Correspondence, 2009
3. Correspondence, 2010
4. Documentary Participant and Potential Participant Contact Lists, [c. 2008 – 2010]
5. Book Planning Information, [c. 2008?]
6. Arcadia Publishing Book Proposal (incomplete), [c. 2008?]
7. Production Notes, [c. 2008 – 2010]
8. DVD Production Information, [c. 2008 – 2010]
9. Premiere Event Planning, 2010
10. Research Notes, [c. 2008 – 2010]
11. Key Yearbook pages (copies) of women’s basketball coverage, 1924 – 1979 (incomplete)
12. Historical Chronology of Women’s Basketball Program, n.d.
13. Team and Coach Rosters, n.d.
14. Player Statistics, n.d.
15. Printed Materials compiled for research—1989 – 88 "Bowling Green Basketball" media guide, 1988
16. Printed Materials compiled for research—game schedules, programs, and media guides, 2007 – 2010
17. News Clippings compiled for research, primarily covering the 2008 – 2010 season and players, 2008 – 2010
18. Interview Notes and Schedules [c. 2008 – 2010]
19. Interview Questions [c. 2008 – 2010]
20. Annotated Transcript, Kate Achter interview (Coach Miller era), [April 23, 2008]
21. Annotated Transcript, Paulette Backstrom interview (Coach Voll era), [April 17, 2009]
22. Annotated Transcript, [Coach] Kathy Bole interview (Coach Peterson and Coach Bole eras), [May 15, 2009]
23. Annotated Transcript, Susie Cassel interview (Coach Clark era), [May 15, 2009]
24. Annotated Transcript, Ginny Chambers interview (Coach Peterson era), [August 13, 2008]
25. Annotated Transcript, Melissa Chase interview (Coach Bole era), [April 17, 2009]
26. Annotated Transcript, Kathy Copeland Mock interview (Coach Hager era), [June 12, 2009]
27. Annotated Transcript, Kathy Freese interview (Coach Peterson era), [May 15, 2009]
28. Annotated Transcript, Jenny Gill interview (Coach Hager and Coach Liu eras), [September 26, 2008]
29. Annotated Transcript, Lindsey Goldsberry interview (Coach Miller era), [April 17, 2009]
30. Annotated Transcript,[Coach] Sue Hager interview, [May 15, 2009]
31. Transcript, Linda Hardy interview (Coach Hager era), [c. 2008 – 2009]
32. Annotated Transcript, Dee Hastler interview (Coach Peterson era), [April 17, 2009]
33. Transcript, Brenda Hollis interview (Coach Peterson era), [c. 2008 – 2009]
34. Annotated Transcript, Liz Honneger interview (Coach Miller era),
35. Annotated Transcript, Bobbi Little interview (Coach Liu era), [September 26, 2008]
36. Annotated Transcript, [Coach] Nora Liu interview, [August 13, 2008]
37. Annotated Transcript, [Coach] Dorothy Luedtke interview, [April 23, 2008]
38. Annotated Transcript, Ali Mann interview (Coach Miller era), [May 15, 2009]
39. Annotated Transcript, Megan McGuire Harriel interview (Coach Voll and Coach Clark eras), [April 17, 2009]

Box 2

Folders

1. Transcript, [Coach] Curt Miller interview, [May 15, 2009]
2. Annotated Transcript, Francine Miller interview (Coach Knoblauch and Coach Miller eras), [June 12, 2009]
3. Annotated Transcript, Jackie Moytcka-Mossing interview, (Coach Voll era), [August 13, 2008]
4. Annotated Transcript, Helen Myers-Mines interview (Coach Luedtke era), [June 12, 2009]
5. Annotated Transcript, [Coach] Pat Peterson interview, [August 13, 2008]
6. Annotated Transcript, Tracy Pontius interview (Coach Miller era), [June 12, 2009]
7. Annotated Transcript, Lauren Prochaska interview (Coach Miller era), [June 12, 2009]
8. Annotated Transcript, Sarah Puthoff interview (Coach Clark era), [c. 2008 – 2009]
9. Annotated Transcript, Jackie Ratterman Stonebraker interview (Coach Clark and Coach Knoblauch eras), [June 12, 2009]
10. Annotated Transcript, Cheryl Renneker interview (Coach Luedtke and Coach Peterson eras), [September 26, 2008]
11. Annotated Transcript, Carol Stickel interview (Coach Luedtke era), [June 12, 2009]
12. Annotated Transcript, Susan Telljohann interview (Coach Liu and Coach Bole eras), [September 26, 2008]
13. Annotated Transcript, Chris Tuttle interview (Coach Bole era), [April 17, 2009]
14. Annotated Transcript, Charissa Urbano interview (Coach Hager, Coach Liu, and Coach Clark eras), [August 13, 2008]
15. Annotated Transcript, [Coach] Fran Voll interview, [August 13, 2008]
16. Annotated Transcript, Jaymee Wappes interview (Coach Knoblauch and Coach Clark eras), [May 15, 2009]
17. Annotated Speeches, Larry Weiss, Documentary Premiere, [August 26, 2010]
18. Script, Documentary rough draft, [c. 2008 – 2010]
19. Script, Documentary rough cut draft, April 22, 2010
20. Script, Documentary rough cut draft, [May 2010]
21. Script, Documentary final draft, [c. 2010]
22. Documentary publicity and DVD sales printed materials, 2010
23. Publicity clippings about documentary, 2010
24. Photographs, Lori Albers, 1990
25. Photographs, Paulette Backstrom, 1986, 1988
26. Photographs, Bobbi Little, 1977
27. Photographs, Dorothy Luedtke, 1982
28. Photographs, Megan McGuire, (n.d.)
29. Photographs, Jacki Motycka-Mossing, 1987 – 1988, (n.d.)
30. Photographs, Talita Scott, 1991 – 1992, (n.d.)
31. Photographs, Susan Telljohann, (n.d.)
32. Photographs, Chris Tuttle, 1981
33. Photographs, Charissa Urbano, 1977, (n.d.)
34. Photographs, Fran Voll, (n.d.)
35. Photographs, Jaymee Wappes, 1998, 2000
36. Photographs, posed team shots, 1962 – 1989
37. Photographs, action snapshots, 1978 – 2009, n.d.
38. Photographs, posed and award presentations, multiple seasons, [197-] – 2005
39. Photographs, miscellaneous photo collages, n.d
40. CD, "Women’s Basketball Weiss/Hager," n.d.
41. CD, "87 Scanned Photos of WBB," n.d.
42. CD, BGSU "Women’s Basketball, WNIT Championship," n.d.
43. DVD, "Women’s B-Ball Transcripts 7/10/09," n.d.
44. DVD, "Women’s B-Ball Compressed w/ TC 7/10/09," n.d.
45. DVD, "Basketball Interviews," n.d.
46. DVD, "Women’s Basketball Rough Cut 4-22-10," n.d.

Manuscripts by Subject | Education Collections | BGSU Centennial History Collections | Women's Studies Collections