As a woman, being a sports fan isn’t easy. You are constantly having to prove what you know. What people don’t know is that I grew up in a household of sports. Every night consisted of a baseball or basketball game. Then, in the fall, our Saturday and Sunday nights consisted of football. I think my mom became a pro at all things tailgate whether it was food or games; she was the expert. Now, when you look at me I don’t really fit the “sports” type, but I resent that. Just because I like to wear makeup and dress up doesn’t make me any less of a sports fan.
Growing up, I was a super competitive person and my parents knew they needed to put me in something as an outlet for this competitiveness. Sports became my life. I grew up on the football and baseball field. Literally, I think my first outing was at my older brother’s baseball game. I soon learned the ins and outs of the games I loved to watch. It became more than just a fun game to watch and I found myself becoming emotionally attached to my home teams. (Shout out to all Miami teams, except for University of Miami... I’m a UCF Knight first and foremost.) To me, it was more than just a game – sports was a way that I could connect with anyone. You can be watching the same game with a foreigner and not speak the same language, but something connects you right then and there. That is why I love sports.
However, as a girl loving sports, you are constantly questioned by boys. The one question I hate the most … "Name me five players on the team." Really? I have to name you five players on the team to prove I am a sports fan? It is ridiculous. Or the other fun one is, "Do you need me to explain to you what happened?" No, I don’t need you to explain to me what happened. Just because I am a woman doesn’t mean that part of my brain just shuts off to the rules of the game. I know how it works and I love how it works! Also, I hate to burst your bubble guys, but I didn’t become a sports fan to impress you. I am very sorry, but that just isn’t my goal in life. I love sports because I love sports – not because I love boys.
When it comes down to it, I am a sports fan because I have a passion for the game and not for any other reason. I will always follow my teams and you will most likely always catch me on my ESPN app, catching up on the latest news. So guys, next time, please don’t question me on what I know about the game and I won’t question you about the best brand of feminine products to buy. Let’s just be fair to each other and respect that we both know about the game! There's enough sports to go around for all of us!
