I have two brothers, both of whom are very passionate about sports. I also grew up surrounded by boys with a love for playing and watching sports that I've never seen in anyone else I've ever met. Being the only girl in the group was a drag sometimes, but I'm happy to have had them around, because without them I would have never been enlightened to the wonderful world of sports. At the same time, it's still a constant pain to have to justify myself and my sports knowledge to any male I encounter. Enough. I know just as much as (probably more than) you do. These have been some of my biggest struggles as a girl that understands sports.

1. Boys will always doubt your knowledge and go out of their way to find one fact that you don’t know.

No, I do not know the coach’s mother’s maiden name. No, I do not know where the coach’s children go to school. I have been asked these stupid questions more than I care to share and it’s just as infuriating each time I hear them.

2. Boys assume you only like a team because other men in your life like that team, or because players on said team are hot.

Please be quiet. While I take immense joy in watching Julian Edelman sprint down the field or Matt Harvey deliver a perfect strike three, that is not the sole reason I choose to follow the teams I do.

3. Boys will volunteer you to answer the questions of all the other girls in the group.

I want to watch the game just as badly as you do. Just like you don’t have time to sit and answer questions, I don’t either. Now let me watch the game.

4. Boys tell you to "calm down” when you’re yelling at the TV just as loudly as they are.

It’s perfectly okay for boys to scream at the top of their lungs at the TV over a bad call, but when I participate it's too much.

5. It's a whole separate struggle buying women’s sports apparel.

No, I do not want a pink jersey. No, I do not want a pink hat. No, I do not want some skimpy tank top with a logo smaller than my thumbnail. I want jerseys and hats and t-shirts that look just like the ones made for men but that will actually fit me. Thank you.

6. You get so angry at any sporting event when you see girls in heels and crop tops and more makeup than is necessary for anything ever.

This is a sporting event, not a fashion show. Put some clothes on and watch the game.

7. More often than not, you’ll have no other girls to watch a game with.

But when you find that one other girl in your friend group you can have an actualconversation about sports with, it's like finding that perfect pair of shoes to match a new dress.

8. You contribute more to a conversation than any male in the room and they still won’t take you seriously.

Boys will never accept that a girl can have real sports knowledge, so they will always dismiss anything you say as incorrect or irrelevant.