In the world of sports where only men are said to be the champions of the field things have started to change now. As more and more women athletes are feeling confident enough to finally come to the college sports field and play. For the longest time, women athletes were not at all encouraged to come on the ground and play in college sports instead they were made to feel like they only belonged in painting, music, and dance classes and not on the sports field with their school gear. Everyone always made women believe that the sports field is only meant for men and that only they are allowed to play on it. Everyone always discouraged women athletes and made them believe that they were not masculine or strong enough to play basically any sport.
But that’s not the case anymore, thanks to the greatest women athletes of college sports like Muffet McGraw, Mary Wise, etc things have started to change now. As when women athletes saw these star women go on the college sports field and make space and name for themselves, they inspired so many other women as well to finally step out of their cocoon of societal expectations and finally pursue their passion for playing. Not just in college sports but even on the competitive level sports games like basketball, football, etc things have started to take a shift. Now we can see more and more women athletes making their own name on the sports field and breaking the vexing stereotypes.
How Challenges in Sports Affect Academics for a Woman Athlete?
As women athletes still seem to face criticism in college sports because of this criticism, their academic life as students also suffers. As for a student-athlete, their studies are just as important as their game but due to the criticism they receive women athletes are unable to give their hundred percent in their studies. Not only that but they feel even more pressurized by the fact of not receiving adequate funding and also the lack of media representation for their games, these things not only stress them out more but also hinder their growth and career as sportswomen and students and all these things put extra pressure on them which in turn affects their studies and hence their careers.
Women Athletes Navigating Challenges in College Sports
1. Pioneering Spirit: Overcoming Gender Stereotypes
For the longest time, women athletes were made to feel less capable and strong for playing on the field. The sole reason for that discrimination was the gender stereotypes associated with being a woman. Women were always criticized and typecasted as if they were only more fitted for roles or professions like painting and dancing but not sports. But as we can see now even on the competitive level sports games like basketball, soccer, etc more and more women are making a name for themselves in such sports that were once only meant for men. Women are not just showing their true capabilities in college sports now but they are also breaking the age-old stereotypes and inspiring the young generation of women too.
2. Uniform Equality: The Fight for Recognition
Women aren’t just playing on the college sports field but they have also started to get equal recognition as their male counterparts. Once there was a time when women were expected to play in those restrictive corsets and bloomers that weren’t just uncomfortable to play in but also not so appropriate. But now things have changed as we can see women in college sports; wear more appropriate and comfortable sports apparel. Not only that but now women have also started to get fair and equal sponsorship deals to be displayed on their uniforms as their male counterparts do.
3. Breaking the Silence: Addressing Mental Health
Even though now women have started to receive fair and equal treatment as their male counterparts but still the battle was long and exhausting. And some women still feel the after-effects of that battle. Women have always been criticized in the sports world based on their gender stereotypes and the long-lasting repercussions of that criticism still haunt some women. They fear being criticized again, they fear not performing up to the expectations, and not just that but there is always the constant pressure of the society’s expectations. All these things take a huge toll on the mental health of some of these women athletes. But as things are improving now, this too shall become better as many firms and organizations have started addressing and providing support in such cases.
Final Thoughts
In the sports world, even though things have changed for women for the better; still there is a long way to go. Women might have gotten a chance to pursue their passion for sports and finally play on the college sports field but they still don’t receive equal amounts of funding and media representation that they deserve as their male counterparts do, so there’s still a lot of progress to be made. But as more women come forward in the field, the sooner we can see the scenarios changing.Â
Also Read: Celebrating the legacy of 50 greatest athletes of all time
