During the glory days of my Little League this tale was re-told often in the family circle. One particular game I was pitching and was throwing quite well. It was marvelous --- my brother was yelling, "Keep throwing smoke!" My Mom was smiling proud, yet contained. A gentleman fan proclaimed, "Wow! That boy can sure pitch!" To which my father stared at the man and exclaimed, "That's no boy, that's my daughter."
Being raised to be fully who I am and as one who has always enjoyed playing and watching sports (NOTE: I may want to clarify the watching when I think of the Pirates recent efforts...sigh...) I was encouraged to play. As I broke the gender-barrier in Little League my parents were encouraging, supportive, and present. When I pitched and would come to the bench at the inning break and my Dad would come to the bench and place his coat around my pitching arm to keep it warm for the next inning. To any Little Leaguer who dreamed of being like the big-league ballplayers that was just the best! Of course, my 9-year-old arm no more needed warmed up then I needed to be chewing a wad of bubble gum and spitting; it's all the image and the dream!
Following the incredible Summer Olympics that was truly the American Women's show, it is a great opportunity to encourage young girls to play sports and to be competitive. Forty years since the passage of TITLE IX, we are beginning to celebrate the athletic accomplishments of women. Yes, we are still only in the early phase because too often we comment on the attractiveness not the athleticism of the female athlete.
I'm not sure the words, "You throw like a girl" are ever spoken as a jeer or jest in this day and age. In light of current female athletic accomplishments, we should be complimenting each other by saying, "You run like a girl!" "You swim like a girl!" "You hit like a girl!" Claim it ladies and teach your children well!
sj;