I have loved sports for as long as I can remember. I grew up watching Stuart Scott on SportsCenter with my Dad, and sports became the way we bonded. I also attempted to (badly) play basketball, tennis, and soccer at one point throughout my childhood. I realized I was more of a spectator and became more into watching football, basketball, and baseball. My love of sports has lead to me pursuing a career in sports. Most of my happiest memories in the past year are sports related. I went to my first Cubs game, went to a Baltimore Ravens game for my 18th birthday and was given a pregame ball from Coach John Harbaugh, and saw the Cubs win the World Series. With that being said, I am constantly defending myself as a female sports fan, and I am tired of it.
During the World Series, I was wearing my Anthony Rizzo jersey around campus. Several times, I would get comments, mainly from guys about my jersey. It was very hard to believe for them that I liked sports. I was called a bandwagon so many times during the Post Season, that it was a regular thing I started to expect to hear when I was in my game day gear. I watched every postseason game in the same spot. I started by watching the games alone. There was an RA I taught how baseball worked and he watched with me for part of one game. By Game 7 of the Wold Series, I was watching with 15 other people, mainly guys of course. They at first didn't realize how much of a fan I was, but they didn't act like it was weird that I did, and that's what I appreciated most.
It feels like once I say I am a sports fan, that I immediately get asked trivia questions. I have to know anything and everything about the teams I am a fan of, just to prove my fandom. Need to know where the Curse of the Billy Goat came from? I know it. Need to know the history of Robert Irsay moving the Baltimore Colts to Indianapolis and the 12 years that followed before the NFL was back in Baltimore? I know it. Reggie Miller's rivalry with the New York Knicks? Got it.
In addition to knowing all of the histories of the teams, we need to know what is going on with the team currently. Which Ravens player is hurt now, and will they be ready for Sunday? Is Paul George and Monta Ellis enough for the Pacers? My phone is constantly getting notifications from the ESPN app. I probably use the ESPN app as much as my social media apps.
I wish I could say that I have an idea that would make being a female sports fan better, I really do. Unfortunately, I don't have a solution for us ladies. We just have to continue to change the minds of those that we meet that don't believe us. Changing the mind of just one person can have a huge difference.
