Girls and Sports

Over the last 5 years I have had the opportunity to watch some relatives and close friends (of the female persuasion) participate in both Soccer and Softball games within their respective leagues and I must say I have been very surprised. The calibre of play I expected and what I actually observed were miles apart. The first time I watched my niece play softball I was totally shocked at the speed and tempo of the game. The ball was thrown hard and hit hard which demanded that the defensive players be skilful enough to catch the ball given some of the rockets that traveled their way. The girls (teenagers) carried themselves as ball players and exhibited a fierce desire to compete and win. As an old baseball coach and player I was impressed with their mechanics both at the plate and on the field. They had obviously been instructed well and could execute what they were shown. What was really surprising was the balance they displayed between femininity and hard core sports. When it came to getting the uniform dirty and blocking the plate there was no quarter given and yet there was a clear lack of malice evident as the play went down. With the ponytails bouncing on their backs they immediately retreated back to their positions for the next play without mulling about and exchanging words with one another. While the feelings may have been there they seemed to be able to maintain their poise far better than others I have seen. After watching several games you realize the talent is exceptional and the contests are entertaining to watch. The soccer game I went to watch just recently was also surprising in that the talent again was above the level I had expected but the intensity and pace were also a surprise. These were young women between 20 and 40 that were in extremely good condition to be able to play the game at a continuous pace for 1 1/2 hrs. They were also not shy about body contact as collisions occurred constantly in pursuit of the ball. Every one of them on both teams could give and take both body shots and head on jolts from balls kicked directly in front of them. One of the goals was scored on a header deflected from a perfect corner kick which indicates the level of talent running around on the field. It was also an entertaining contest to watch as the game kept moving without a lot of unnecessary antics or moaning although I’m sure it does happen from time to time. All in all I guess the most amazing thing I’ve learned over the past few years is that girls and women can not only be passionate about sport the same as the male species but that they can also develop the skill to play at elite levels. The only quandary I would have if I was a young man again is, “would it be safe to date someone that could beat you up?”