By Sports Editor: Danielle Hamilton
It is often said that girls can do whatever boys can do. This statement is true, especially when put into the perspective of sports. An athlete is an athlete, no matter what gender. Men and women can both weight-lift, run, and play any sport.
Men generally run faster and jump higher than women. Men’s body structures are also generally larger, taller, and stronger. Just because men have this advantage over women does not mean they are necessarily better. Women do just fine with what they have physically.
Most sports fans can agree that men’s basketball is more exciting to watch than women’s basketball. It is also more popular. Men’s games are faster paced, which greatly adds to the excitement. Both men and women can play basketball though. Girls can play it just as well good, although the games are slightly different. I believe it is wrong to diminish girls’ basketball just because it is a slower pace. This is an issue that we often see at Howell High School.
“It bothers me when people say boys’ basketball is better. Being a basketball player myself, I don’t see why we can’t be seen as equal to everyone,” says junior Rachel Nelson, who was a starter on the girls varsity basketball team this season.
Women’s hockey seems to be coming more popular each year. A few years ago I did not hear of or see women’s hockey being played often. This year, I constantly see stories and pictures on the internet about it. The pace of the games may be different, like basketball, but it is still hockey whether it’s played by men or women.
When the United States was in World War II, most of the men were fighting overseas. There was no one to play Major League Baseball. Women took over and created the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) to keep baseball alive. This existed from 1943 to 1954. During this time, over 600 women played baseball. A League of Their Own is a 1992 movie about the AAGPBL. This is one of favorite movies of all time, mostly because it shows women playing a sport that men usually play.
“I think it’s so cool that women were able to play baseball and pretty much took over the men’s positions,” says junior Abby Lasagna. Lasagna has played on the varsity softball team for her three years of high school.
Another sport that both women and men play is softball. Fastpitch seems to be more popular with women than men, but some men still do play it. Slow-pitch softball is also popular with both genders.
Gymnastics and swimming are both very popular among men and women. Both sports have both gender competitions in the Olympics. It is exciting to watch both men and women compete in these sports, and they seem equally popular as well.
When it comes down to it, both men and women can do the same things in sports and in general. Women athletes should be respected more equally than they currently are.
