Austin High Celebrates 100 Years of Girls Athletics

From a 1926 banquet to today's flag football, the school marks a century of expanding opportunities for female athletes.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 9:28pm

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An abstract, cubist-style painting depicting the dynamic movements and energy of a girls' high school volleyball game, with the players and ball deconstructed into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in vibrant colors.A cubist interpretation of the pioneering spirit of Austin High's girls athletics program, which has empowered female students for a century.Austin Today

In 1926, Austin High School held a celebratory banquet to honor the inaugural year of its Girls' Athletic Association (GAA), which drew 96 girls into activities like volleyball, baseball, and tennis. 100 years later, the school is marking a century of girls athletics, tracing the GAA's beginnings and the expansion of sports for female students under Title IX.

Why it matters

The 1926 GAA banquet represented an important milestone in the history of girls' and women's sports, as schools across the country were just beginning to offer organized athletic programs for female students. Austin High's commemoration of this 100-year legacy highlights the long struggle for gender equity in high school and collegiate athletics.

The details

The 1926 banquet at Austin High School's original basement cafeteria celebrated the school's first year of the GAA program, which enabled girls to earn 'A' letters by accumulating 1,000 points through activities like volleyball, baseball, and tennis. That inaugural year, the top point earners had over 400 points, and three girls received letters. GAA director Ruby Jane Reinhardt, who had a college degree in physical education, was praised for her work in 'placing girls' athletics on such a high plane'.

  • The 1925-26 school year was the inaugural year of the GAA program at Austin High School.
  • On April 28, 1926, the school held a celebratory banquet to honor the first year of the GAA.
  • In April 1926, Reinhardt hosted a Friday night GAA party in the school's original gymnasium.

The players

Lyndall Dimmitt

Won the Austin GAA's first tennis tournament in 1926 and spoke at the celebratory banquet, praising the GAA director and the school district for providing girls' athletic activities.

Janet Atwood

Received a 'special loving cup' at the 1926 banquet for being on the championship sophomore GAA volleyball team.

Ruby Jane Reinhardt

Served as the director of girls' physical education at Austin High School starting in the 1924-25 school year, and was praised for her 'splendid work with the girls and for her efforts in placing girls' athletics on such a high plane'.

S.T. Neveln

Superintendent of Austin Public Schools, who presented the 'special loving cups' at the 1926 banquet.

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What they’re saying

“The time is gone when the only time a girl is expected to jump is when a mouse promenades into the room.”

— Lyndall Dimmitt, GAA Tennis Tournament Winner

“All the girls then went home happy.”

— Ruby Jane Reinhardt, GAA Director

What’s next

Austin High School is planning a centennial celebration of girls athletics this fall, featuring a reunion of former GAA and varsity female athletes, a flag football game, and a gala dinner.

The takeaway

Austin High's commemoration of 100 years of girls athletics highlights the long struggle for gender equity in high school sports, and the pivotal role that programs like the GAA played in expanding opportunities for female students. The school's legacy of supporting girls' athletics serves as an inspiring example of how schools can foster empowerment and inclusion through sports.