My previous article entitled “B-CC’s Glass Ceiling” elicited some very strong reactions, including accusations of “inaccurate” and “defamatory” information. However, evidence lies in the ongoing frustrations of our female athletes. The heated reactions prompted me to consider what needs to be done to address this polarizing issue. While this situation is merely a microcosm of a bigger issue within the sports world, change begins at the grassroots level within our schools.
Every spring, the B-CC softball team prepares for a season full of hard work and dedication. Along with this excitement comes feelings of frustration stemming from the inequality that exists between their playing conditions and those of their male counterparts. Hannah Peters, for example, is approaching her third year playing on the varsity softball team and expresses personal frustrations. Peters explains that ever since her freshman year, the team must walk to a local park to conduct their after school practices. Meanwhile, the boys’ baseball team conveniently practices at B-CC in a shocking disparity between the two sports. When expanding on the team’s daily trek to Lynbrook Park, Peters expressed, “It takes a lot of time out of our practices, and since the batting cages are all at B-CC, it is hard to efficiently conduct practice when we do not have access to our own equipment.”
A solution must be implemented to help resolve this issue. A meeting should be scheduled between both coaches and the administration at the beginning of the season to help establish an efficient and impartial practice schedule. The implementation of this apparent simple solution would help eliminate a key source of the disparity, and provide the softball team and other womens’ teams with greater accessibility to their practice resources.
Mortman expands on the collective issue pertaining to practice times. Time and time again, B-CC’s football team is prioritized, demonstrated in the time “when football took the small gym for the JV volleyball team because it was raining outside, even though it was during our scheduled block.” B-CC’s Volleyball team has also expressed concerns surrounding limited promotion of their games and stats. Senior captain Kaitlyn Mortman reveals her aggravation surrounding “Dig Pink, B-CC Volleyball’s biggest event of the year, which couldn’t even make it on the morning announcements.”
A fix to this pervasive issue is to not prioritize one team’s training over another. Team size and gender should no longer apparently dictate where and when teams practice, and schoolwide promotion should be equal for all sports.
It is valid to hold contrary stances and differing opinions, however it is also important to note that the stories mentioned above are all real experiences held by B-CC female athletes in regards to their male counterparts. While one may feel differently about the issue of athletic misogyny at B-CC, the facts cannot be ignored. Through awareness and open communication, B-CC can be at the forefront in addressing this global issue. As we continue moving forward with this dialogue, we must aim to be solution-oriented and hit this issue out of the park.