by Paetyn Tatro
Participating in team sports during the high school years provides valuable experience for all students, with opportunities for personal growth for boys as well as girls. Involvement in sports can increase confidence and self-esteem, boost mental health, and improve physical wellness, fitness, and social skills. While traditionally there has been a legacy of support for boys’ sports, these days there are many more opportunities for girls to participate and benefit, particularly in track and field, soccer, and basketball, although support for girls’ teams may still be lagging. However, we may be in the midst of a re-write on that score — just look up Caitlin Clark’s latest triumphs on the national college basketball scene!
Here at Wahconah, one discrepancy has been the number of coaches involved. In track and field, boys’ coaches outnumber girls’ coaches two to one. When asked, Athletic Director Allie Borowsky shared that “the same number of coaches are hired at Wahconah – a Head Coach and an Assistant – and coaches are the ones who recruit additional volunteers, so the coach may have asked for additional people.” Student athlete Matty Beatty suggested that “We are playing the same sport and we go to basically all the same meets, so maybe we should just share coaches.” In sports as in life, it’s always good to level the playing field.
In celebration of the start of the spring sports season at Wahconah, it’s important to remember that sports are for everyone’s enjoyment. The most important element is to have fun and build lasting relationships while supporting equal opportunities to participate. So this spring, please get out and support all our student athletes!
