On August 3rd, the International Olympic Committee approved the addition of softball (and baseball, karate, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing) to the 2020 Olympics. Softball has been gone since 2008; the IOC held a secret vote and eliminated softball and baseball due to "its limited popularity" outside of America, Canada, and Asia. The comeback for baseball has been disputed time and time again - the MLB has never agreed to send its top players to the Olympics, making it difficult to field an olympic level team. The addition of softball, however, has hailed praise from many.
- Lauren Chamberlain, Oklahoma, National Champion
- Kelsey Stewart, Florida, 2x National Champion
- Sierra Romero, Michigan, 4x All-American
- Jennie Finch, Arizona, National Champion & Gold medal winner
So, what does this mean?
For softball players around the country, it's a big deal. A huge deal, in fact. The Olympics are seen as the pinnacle of sport. If one truly is a 'great', chances are, they'll be an Olympic athlete, no matter the sport. Basketball, soccer, swimming, sprinting, short track speed skating. . .you name it. The Olympics serve as an end goal for many many sports, and removing softball from the Olympics removed that end goal for thousands of women around the world. The removal of softball set the sport back at least twelve years, if not more. The world missed out on twelve years of greatness, twelve years of empowerment, twelve years of inspiration.
By removing softball from the Olympics, the IOC destroyed the potential for many platforms to be built, and stole the ability for women in foreign countries to build pathways and work towards empowerment through sport. Chris Chase, a writer for Fox Sports, went so far as to write that softball is "a uniquely American sport that would have trouble catching on with the rest of the world for various reasons".
The International Softball Federation, which is part of the World Baseball Softball Confederation, organizes world championship competitions for women and men's fast pitch. This organization includes teams from over 124 countries, nullifying the argument that softball (and baseball, too) isn't prevalent in places outside of America. Sorry, Chris.
The dominance of the USA women's softball team also tends to be an issue/point of discussion. Some believe that part of the reason why softball was removed was because the US was 'just too good'. This is one of the toughest pills to swallow - the complete extinction of competition because athletes are too talented. How is it acceptable to remove a sport because the athletes are excellent? What sense does it make to punish women for working to be the best softball players in the world? The United States demolishes countries in countless sports when it comes to the Olympics - swimming, basketball, women's soccer. Are we going to remove those sports, too?
As a current collegiate softball player, the addition of softball into the 2020 Olympics means the world to me. No, I probably (definitely) won't be part of the 2020 Olympic team, but 15 other women will be. This team will consist of many women that have inspired some, if not all, of the players in my generation, the generation before me, and the generation to follow. The Lauren Chamberlain's, Kelsey Stewart's, and Sierra Romero's of the world will finally have the opportunity to earn the global recognition that they deserve.
So thank you, International Olympic Committee, for making my dreams come true and the dreams of millions of other girls and women around the world come true as well. This is the best decision you've made in the last twelve years.
