I hold my head up high because I am a female athlete. Recently, I attended the ProFastpitch X-treme Tour in Clermont, Florida, which is where professional softball players help amateurs to improve their game through a weekend softball clinic. Whether I was watching professionals swing a bat or amateurs catch a fly ball, I realized that this was our turf. But after talking to many of the girls about the obstacles they face as female athletes, I was disappointed that most felt they don't receive the respect they deserve from their male counterparts.
I heard complaints like, "They don't think we are as strong or as fast" or "They think we'd be better off as cheerleaders" (which, by the way, requires a lot of athleticism). There is no question that men and women have different strengths. Often, women's team sports have more finesse and incorporate more teamwork. Even though we are different, we are still equal. Most wild animals are faster than boys, but do you see us telling men to clear the field for four-legged creatures? No, because wild animals are wild animals, boys are boys, and girls are girls. Girls don't want to be compared, we want to be appreciated! Like many female athletes around the world, the young women I met at the PFX Tour event are passionate about sports, dedicated to the game, and tremendously athletic. So as female athletes continue to excel at their sports, they must stand up to the cynics who only dream that they could PLAY LIKE GIRLS!
-Lauren Brill
