Credibility

My good friend Miranda recently played a coed intramural soccer game. She plays Division III softball and lettered in volleyball, basketball, track and men’s golf in high school. She is quick on her feet and will sacrifice her body to make a play in any sport. She is a deserving competitor. Yet, when she went to play intramural soccer a couple days ago (remember this is college recreational sports here) a guy on her team would not pass her the ball when she was open, help her on defense and made comments about the other team’s women. What does it take to get some credibility? Does she have to score a hat-trick and then make amazing saves in the goal the second half? How can women compete with men and get the credit they deserve?

Not all men/women are like that. Miranda and I and three other ladies from our softball team joined up with some of our guy friends to form a dodgeball team. We called ourselves “Throws like a girl” because all the girls on our team could throw better than most of the men on the other teams. Instead of the minimum 2 girls and 5 guys, we played 4 and 3 or 3 and 4 each game. We utilized our players based on their strengths as players, not based on gender.

It’s not just in coed sports either. Take a look at the world of professional sports. It doesn’t take an idiot to see that it is male dominated. The only televised female sports that come to mind, not including the Olympics, are college basketball and skiing/snowboarding. After college, women have to throw in the towel or play in slow-pitch softball leagues or coach a team to stay involved in sports. But men can play minor league baseball or arena football and those are non-major professional sports. There are so many women with the same skill level in their respective sport that should have the ability to continue at a semi-professional level.

Maybe some men are scared of athletic women. But, for the record, athletic women does not equal lesbian. Some men may be intimidated by a woman who is more athletic than they are. There’s nothing wrong with that. A lot of women are smarter too. But it’s not about men versus women or women versus men. It’s about giving credibility when it’s deserved.

When Miranda was on the men’s varsity golf team in high school, she usually finished in the top three and was supported by the guys on her team. But when she went to tournaments, the opposing teams were the ones to give her looks. Remembering the situation, she said, “I wanted to be seen as an equal” and not as the girl on the team. Miranda is a good golfer. That’s what she wanted to be known for, not known as the girl on the guy’s golf team.

It may not be the number one issue in sports today, but it is still a problem for female athletes--getting the recognition they deserve. If you see a great catch, or incredible lay-up or just some good overall performance, whether the athlete is male or female, I hope you can give them a pat on the back.