Give women’s sports the recognition they deserve

Super Bowl 56 has officially come and gone and it’s had me thinking. We are a country that eats, sleeps and breathes sports.

That being said, where’s the screen time for women’s sports? I honestly don’t think I have ever seen a women’s game for any sport televised.

I remember in grade school, some teachers would allow us to eat lunch in the classroom just so we could watch the men’s basketball tournaments.

I didn’t even know the WNBA existed until sometime in middle or high school. That’s honestly really concerning for me.

Growing up, almost all the boys in my class wanted to be some sort of professional athlete.

There were several aspiring NFL players, a few NBA hopefuls, and even some MLB dreamers. I’m sure there were a few girls who also wished to be professional athletes, but had no knowledge that such a league even existed for them. Their dreams came to a halt when they realized women couldn’t play in leagues like the NFL, NBA and MLB.

It’s crazy to me that there are women’s leagues but we almost never see or hear anything about them. These girls don’t have them to look up to as much as the boys do.

The same can be said about high school and college sports.

I remember going to the high school basketball games when I was a kid, and even then I could tell the difference in support between the women’s and the men’s games.

It was as if everyone in town showed up for the men’s game, but only the athlete’s family, friends and a few very dedicated fans. Most of the student section didn’t even show up until at least after halftime of the girl’s game.

Thankfully, that has gotten better over the years, but the lack of publicity for the professional leagues is still almost nonexistent.

What kind of example is this setting for the children of our generation?

Women are no less deserving of the same recognition for their skills. We shouldn’t let this go unnoticed. Things need to change.

Laci Sutton is a Nickerson senior studying nursing. She is The Collegian’s Opinion Page Editor.

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