by Christopher Smith
When I attended high school in the early 1990’s, the girls who participated in sports were just that- girls who had an interest in a particular sport. They did not play a sport year-round, nor did they take conditioning for their sport seriously. Most of all, they were never seen in the weight room- unless they were in search of a boyfriend.
Throughout the last decade, female sports have evolved. Unlike their predecessors, the contemporary student-athletes are athletes who just happen to be young ladies. Unfortunately, female athletes, who represent Chamblee with class and guts, are subjected to many inaccurate, insulting double standards from their peers.
It is a subtle yet biting insult that the accomplishments of the ladies’ sports teams are often overlooked or given the attention only as an afterthought. I have vivid memories of the Chamblee Morning News showing highlights of Coleman Collins and Paul Delaney dunking more than once. Even in the fall, I can recall watching Terrance Ware elude defenders. Yet I have no similar recollections of Mallory Bailey spiking a volleyball or Yasmin Cole-Lewis serving an ace. These girls are members of the historic volleyball team. For that matter, it has been a rare occasion to have seen Cheri Nash’s smooth jumper hit nothing but net. When Ruby Westby, a freshman, crushed a school record, it would have been nice to have seen highlights of a ladies’ swim meet.
Sadly, the school paper fails to adequately support our young ladies in their athletic endeavors. Any fair-minded reader needs to merely pursue the two most recent issues of the Blue and Gold. According to the newspaper, the Lady swimmers manage to win meets thanks to the nutritional value of Starbuck’s coffee.
Although the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams play the same schedule, a reader would never know this based on the content of the articles. While articles on the girls always appear general and vague, the boys’ articles are very detailed, filled with quotes and timelines. Quite simply, our female athletes feel slighted.
When I attended high school in the early 1990’s, the girls who participated in sports were just that- girls who had an interest in a particular sport. They did not play a sport year-round, nor did they take conditioning for their sport seriously. Most of all, they were never seen in the weight room- unless they were in search of a boyfriend.
Throughout the last decade, female sports have evolved. Unlike their predecessors, the contemporary student-athletes are athletes who just happen to be young ladies. Unfortunately, female athletes, who represent Chamblee with class and guts, are subjected to many inaccurate, insulting double standards from their peers.
It is a subtle yet biting insult that the accomplishments of the ladies’ sports teams are often overlooked or given the attention only as an afterthought. I have vivid memories of the Chamblee Morning News showing highlights of Coleman Collins and Paul Delaney dunking more than once. Even in the fall, I can recall watching Terrance Ware elude defenders. Yet I have no similar recollections of Mallory Bailey spiking a volleyball or Yasmin Cole-Lewis serving an ace. These girls are members of the historic volleyball team. For that matter, it has been a rare occasion to have seen Cheri Nash’s smooth jumper hit nothing but net. When Ruby Westby, a freshman, crushed a school record, it would have been nice to have seen highlights of a ladies’ swim meet.
Sadly, the school paper fails to adequately support our young ladies in their athletic endeavors. Any fair-minded reader needs to merely pursue the two most recent issues of the Blue and Gold. According to the newspaper, the Lady swimmers manage to win meets thanks to the nutritional value of Starbuck’s coffee.
Although the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams play the same schedule, a reader would never know this based on the content of the articles. While articles on the girls always appear general and vague, the boys’ articles are very detailed, filled with quotes and timelines. Quite simply, our female athletes feel slighted.
As a ladies’ basketball coach, my players and I detest the unfound belief that the competition among young ladies is not equal to that of young men. When the ladies are overwhelmingly triumphant, the assumption is that the competition was “sorry.” When the lady’s basketball team has been dominated by the opponents, the typical response is that girls “suck” instead of acknowledging the strength of the foe.
What is the justification when the football or boys’ basketball team is “drilled” by an opponent? The response is not that they “suck.” Instead, it is a laundry list of excuses. In reality, some teams, ladies and gentlemen, are very weak and some are very impressive. Since our elevation to the AAAA athletics, the volleyball and basketball teams have earned berths to the state tournament. Many swimmers qualified for the state meet. With spring sports underway, I am more than confident that the ladies’ track team will continue its dominance. Therefore, before one assumes that the quality of competition is insufficient, one must acknowledge the skill level of our ladies’ programs.
The young ladies of Chamblee give much more to the school. From a holistic perspective, they are a fabulous bunch. Several members of the basketball team are members of service organizations and leadership groups. Our team grade point average exceeds a 3.45, and we consist of resident and magnet students. I am more than certain a few will play college basketball. More importantly, 95% of them will attend college, and I am confident they will become fabulous nurses, lawyers, business, leaders, and one may even become a high school psychology teacher. They are not anomalies; they are the norm among our female athletes.
Our student body must become more like the student bodies of Marist, Pius, and other schools in our region and consistently respect and support ladies’ athletics. Support cannot come in the form of patronizing comments or questions in the hallways. If one is to sincerely support the ladies’ athletic programs of Chamblee, then one must be willing to attend games, cheer on the teams, and recognize the effort and talent of these remarkable athletes.