Athlete Life... the real deal

3/26/2017

Got our lacrosse gear the other day... It's a proud day when an athlete sees their name or their number on their jersey or gear. I remember the first time I saw my name on my gear... in that moment, I was a real athlete. I was ready to take on all the challenges and help lead my team to victory. I felt invincible.

I still own some of my old gear from high school and college. And I look back on those worn rags with my name on them with fondness. The hoodies were security blankets for losses. T-shirts doubled as towels for post game showers. Swearpants and socks that kept me warm on the sidelines while I waited to go in... I can't remember the scores or each and every game and practice. As I get older those memories all become molded into one general and significant feeling of joy and pain, accomplishment and defeat, life lessons and time tested friendships.

It's a given that with the school or club's name on the front of the jersey you know who you're playing for. But there's an extra bit of pride that develops just by having your last name stitched somewhere on your jersey. It reminds you that you not only represent the club or the institution, your coaches and your teammates... but you also represent your family. What an honor. And since we no longer train our kids and teens in a traditional warrior style, athletics is as close as we can get.

I'm excited for her. Im excited for us. Im excited to watch her wipe away angry tears on sleeves and swing tshirts above her head in jubilation. I'm excited to watch her decide to quit or stick through it. Im excited to give my loving opinion while stepping back and letting her figure out what's right. But the idea of seeing a jersey with our family's name on it rush out onto some field or track fills me with joy. And watching my daughter skip out of practice with her new gear let's me known that she's excited too.

1 Comment

Nancy Boutilier

3/26/2017 08:27:55 am

I love this post, Amber. I love this post for what it says about you and your values, for the world of sports as your girls experience it, and for the reminder of how progress does happen.
Many of the women--and it was mostly women--paid a stiff price for pushing for access, resources, and respect for female athletes when I was playing but because change is slow, lawsuits lengthy, and those women demonized, they are often unnamed and long-forgotten for their efforts.
And you may (or may not) be surprised to know that in all of my playing days--high school, college, and even in a pro-am league sponsored by Nike, I never had my name stitched or ironed on a uniform. Oh, if you are wondering, the boys my age did. In fact, I recently spotted the tackle twill "name plate" from my brother's Jr. A Hockey jersey in a drawer at my parents' house, but the girls...nope...no names. (don't even get me going on the fact that I wore the SAME one jersey (home and away) for 3 seasons--volleyball, basketball, and softball--in high school. My coach stopped asking for it back after volleyball of Jr. year, since she'd just be reissuing for hoops...oh, and did I mention that the boys' teams had sport-specific home and away uniforms, as well as warm ups?! Okay, so all of this is to honor the women who pushed for us...that became for you...and for your daughters, the acknowledgement that they often punished in all the ways you'd expect--called nasty names, overlooked for promotion as "too outspoken," "too political" "too abrasive," "too manly," "too...you name it." Some lost jobs for their unwillingness to accept inequality, or when salaries actually did become equal and more male coaches sought them. And, of course, I want to note the REAL POSITIVE difference enactment and enforcement of laws and policies--Title IX--can make in the world. It helped to put your name on uniforms and, now, on your daughters'!
So, every time I see a girl with her name across the back of her uniform, I smile for her, and for that long line of shoulders in uniforms without names that have helped map the game plan that got us here.

Athlete Life... the real deal

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