Ever since I was six years old, I have been playing a sport on an organized team. I started out with soccer, then basketball, and eventually stuck with softball throughout high school. Now, in college, I play rugby, an intense high impact sport. In addition to that, my entire life I have been overweight. A lot of people have this preconceived idea that fat girls are just lazy, slow and can’t contribute to sports in any way. I’m here to tell you that is completely false.
I enjoyed every single sport I played throughout my life. Softball is one of my favorites. There was something about catching a ball and making an out that was so satisfying. Ripping a ball into the air and taking off. Joining the rugby team at UAlbany opened me up to a new sport I had no idea about. Knocking down and tackling girls are so much fun, and being a big girl makes it harder for others to knock you down, which is an advantage.
I was always motivated to play sports. Nobody forced me to keep going forward with playing. Yes, my dad encouraged that I keep playing, but I always had the desire. Playing sports is like a fun exercise. Would you rather run around and throw a ball with your friends for an hour or run on the boring treadmill for an hour?
I wasn’t always the most confident playing sports. At a mere six years old, I was the only girl on a boys’ soccer team. During high school, and even now playing rugby, I wasn't and still am not one of the fast runners. In fact, I am slow, and I’ll admit it. I always felt discouraged when I was at the back of the line while running laps, or couldn’t keep up with the sprints. But you know what? I stay motivated. My teammates are super motivational and keep me going.
Though I may not be up to par in one aspect of the sport I’m playing, I excel in the other aspects. For example, yes, I may be a slow runner, but I’m a big, strong and hefty gal. My body is like a boulder, and when I dig my feet into the ground nobody can knock me over. Using my body weight and force in rugby is crucial, and that’s something I’d say I’m pretty good at.
I always feel like I’m being stared at or noticed for my weight whether I’m playing sports or simply at the gym. What people don’t understand is, if we are putting in our effort, blood sweat and tears to play a hardcore sport or to workout at the gym, we are making an effort to stay active and healthy! I always see people shaming big girls on social media about how they look at the gym. Unlike them, we are actually getting off the phone and working out.
So for those who haven’t gotten the message yet, fat girls can certainly be athletic. We’re pretty damn good at it too, if I do say so myself.
