Modesty is an essential part of the Orthodox values held by Stern College for Women. Reflecting that value, the Stern College rulebook states, “Students are required to wear dresses or skirts that are knee length.” Although this rule applies on campus, athletes seem to be excused from the dress code, as the Athletic Department gives athletes the choice to wear a skirt or shorts during practices and games.
While the NCAA requires most female athletes to wear pants during games, the NCAA has given Yeshiva University a religious waiver to allow women in all sports to wear skirts, long-sleeved shirts, and head coverings to comply with athletes’ religious principles.
Some students choose to attend Yeshiva University for not only a quality education but also for an athletic experience that does not require them to sacrifice their religious principles. The athletic department strives to ensure that all athletes are able to compete while maintaining their personal halakhic standards. For example, the Athletics Department allows Stern College athletes the opportunity to decide whether to wear pants or skirts and short-sleeve or long-sleeve jerseys on the fields and courts.
Senior soccer player Channah Esan agrees that students should have the right to choose their game attire. Esan states, “We are a Jewish school, and students should be given the option to play in clothing they feel comfortable wearing.” She goes on to say “I am glad that we don’t mandate skirts or shorts because an obligatory uniform would really prevent many girls from playing, as well as inhibit our personal and religious liberties.”
Athletics provides student-athletes with a time to temporarily depart from their academic responsibilities and classroom atmosphere and dress code. Nevertheless, some athletes, such as soccer player Merav Saden Barach, continue to wear skirts even on the field. When asked whether she believed Stern College athletes should all wear skirts, Merav said, “Provided that there is no rule about it, I think wearing a skirt during games should be the decision of the athlete. The fact that some girls wear shorts and some wear skirts reflects the diverse student body that is Stern.”
At a softball information session held on December 17, a questionnaire was passed out to all prospective athletes asking if they wished to play in a skirt. Joe Bednarsh, the Yeshiva University Athletic Director, explained that this question only intended to estimate how many uniform shorts needed to be ordered for the new team. Bednarsh emphasized that Yeshiva University is the only college where Jewish athletes can play on teams and still maintain their religious beliefs.
Barach is grateful for the religious accommodations concluding, “I appreciate that I have the choice to wear a skirt; without that option, I would not have joined the [soccer] team. I like that the choice is there and available for each athlete to choose what is more comfortable for her.”