Women’s sports have refined over the years and we have seen the improvements here at Millard West. In the female athletes’ sports there have been many champions along the way and some sports have had new additions over the years. For example, the implementation of girls wrestling being added as a sport to Millard West and then girls basketball accomplishing their first ever girls basketball state title to then follow up the next year with another title.
The one sport that is getting more and more attention is the sport of volleyball. It can come with many challenges when playing the game, especially as a female athlete.
Millard West junior middle blocker Taya Thaden explains the importance of females playing at the highest level they can while getting the recognition they deserve for the sport.
“Being a female athlete playing volleyball can be very tough,”Thaden said. “You are constantly trying to get people to come to games and gain attention.” Volleyball has been given a bigger name in the past few years. It’s great to compete in the game but also takes a mental toll on you as an athlete.”
Many female athletes look at the athletic part of the game in different ways but all of them face challenges just being a female and not having the same recognition as men do.
On the hardwood there has also been significant growth in gaining more attention. Senior guard Neleigh Gessert finds it sometimes difficult to play at the highest level when the sport isn’t getting the attention it should.
Neleigh Gessert has won two state championship titles here at Millard West and after winning the first one, the girls’ basketball team still found it difficult to get students to come out and support the team knowing the level of play that they were playing at.
“Girls basketball has definitely improved over the years not just in skill level, but also in how people view and support female athletes,” Neleigh Gessert said. “It can be frustrating at times when we are putting in our hardest work and the gyms aren’t as full as they would be in a guys’ game.”
Sometimes women can have a difficult time playing multiple sports while focusing on one specific one that they are better at.
Track and cross country runner senior track and cross country runner Katherine Ebmeier explains why she has had the success she has had and the importance of playing multiple sports as a female athlete.
“It’s pretty cool to keep having an impact and having people look up to me,” Ebmeir said. “My legacy isn’t being impactful for the Millard West community but younger female athletes looking to run track and or just participate in a female sport and know success is possible for females, too.”
Even though female sports are getting more and more attention females still will face challenges due to some people valuing men’s sports higher than female. We have seen the perspective of the way people view men and womens sports has changed.
