You Throw Like a Girl

In a recent post about the Aggies winning the NCAA national championship in golf, my nephew-in-law innocently commented that perhaps, in a few years, his son would lead them to another. Actually, it was rather sweet of him, because he isn't an Aggie. But, when I read the comment, I thought: What about your daughters? Isn't it possible that one of them could lead the Aggies to a championship? And of course, I so commented. Sorry, Brett. I guess I have to admit that I am a bit touchy on this subject. In fact, one of the few times (maybe even the only time) that I ever got annoyed with Oxey was when he opined that the Nike commercial featuring girls saying "If they let me play sports..." was the stupidest commercial he'd ever seen. That remark just sent me over the edge...and it sent me over the edge because... THEY DIDN'T LET ME PLAY SPORTS! ("They" are not my parents, though I know my mom was perplexed by my choice of sports over ballet, or dolls, or any other "girlie" thing, and Santa never, ever gave me either the football or baseball glove that I asked for every year (after I was in college, my dad gave me a football for Christmas, finally!)). We had no little league, no soccer league, no organized sports of any kind for girls where I grew up, save the country club sports of tennis and golf (high school had girls tennis, golf, and swim teams). It wasn't deemed appropriate for girls to play team sports back then...it wasn't cool. But why? Shouldn't girls learn the same lessons from team sports that boys do? Wouldn't that be a good thing? Obviously, times have changed and all those old stereotypes have gone by the wayside (I hope). At least sports are available to girls now and the girls who play them aren't considered total weirdos anymore. I would have given my left nut....oh, wait a minute, I don't have a left nut...I guess that is the point. Anyway, I would have given a lot to have been able to play. So, to all you sports loving dads and moms out there: don't forget your daughters; don't forget to play catch with them; don't forget to coach their teams; don't forget to take them to games, read box scores, watch sportscenter, play flies and grounders, pick teams during March Madness, hit a bucket of balls at the driving range, chuck the football around the front yard, play horse,...don't forget your daughters.