you look over and see the empty lawn. And you’re reminded [how] few people showed up [to support you]. . .You shouldn’t be thinking about that while you’re playing a game,” said Morgan Earls, Waynflete’s girls’ varsity soccer team captain. “It sucks.”

 

Inequity within boys’ and girls’ and sports teams, where to start? Title IX is a federal law passed in 1972 to ensure that male and female students are treated, in educational settings, “equally and fairly” (“Gender Equity/Title IX”). Although this law was passed, women's teams across the world are still in a constant fight for equality. 

 

I, Vivian Rallis, have participated in athletics ever since I dared to tell my parents that the sport of fencing, although uniquely great, was not my destiny. As a young female athlete in the twenty-first century, I entered Waynflete High School with goals: I aimed to excel in my academics and create long-lasting friendships. I also wanted to enjoy my adolescence through socializing, ideally while on the sports field. 

 

Sports are intended to be a space where students are safe to be just an athlete, and nothing else. Playing tennis, for example, let my mind focus on everything other than the chemistry exam I was dreading. However, when the boys’ tennis team had collared shirts with the Waynflete title perfectly plastered on the front, and the girls’ tennis team was left with gray, unlabeled uniforms, I realized that there needed to be efforts beyond “Title IX” in order to maintain fairness amongst high school sports.

 

This year, the Waynflete girls' varsity soccer team won the state final for the first time since 2012. After winning states for two years straight, the boys lost in the second playoff game. Waynflete’s Instagram began to post the girls more often, and the usually highlighted boys' teams slowly drifted away. 

 

Did we, girls, have to win to be recognized? I needed to know more.

 

Lucy Hart, a three-sport varsity athlete, who made the Regional Class C/D All-Star and All-State teams, and was honored as an All-American, shared her experience with me regarding the difference in the attention given to girls’ and boys’ sports at Waynflete. She said that it, “can be discouraging,” to see the lack of fans at the girls' games. “On the field, just knowing there's a bunch of people supporting you and encouraging you can really make a difference mentally”. Morgan agreed with Lucy’s point, saying, “I don’t know if [the few fans on the hill] directly impacts my performance, but it sticks with me all throughout the game.”

 

I spoke to Ross Burdick, Waynflete’s Athletic Director, about this issue. He pointed out that many factors influence the different amount of fans who attend various games. For example, take a soccer game and a Nordic ski race. At Nordic competitions, it’s cold outside, and viewers may see the skiers only two to three times per race. This is valid reasoning, yet gender is also an important factor that plays into the portrayal and support of different sports teams.Burdick said, “If we have a parent that wants to donate something to a girls' team. . . we want to think about both programs”. 

 

Dilemmas begin to surface, though, when, for example, the girls' varsity tennis team did not receive real uniforms until they asked for them. Women shouldn’t have to remind authoritative figures to treat them fairly; it should happen without extra effort.

 

Although in past years, Lucy Hart has felt like boys’ sports have received more attention on social media platforms, she highlights that, “Waynflete did a really good job this year [and] I hope that level of support continues.” She emphasized that they won because of their soccer abilities—and not the number of fans in the stands. Even so, it helps to have Waynflete community members there to support them.

As an athlete and a woman, I hope that change is made in a way visible to all female athletes. Being on a sports team is supposed to be fun. It is a way to find a sense of belonging and to have a support group both on and off the field. But you don’t just belong to the team, you also belong to that team’s school and community. It’s important to note that part of the joy of sports is having a fan section. I hope Waynflete continues to encourage students to support both boys' and girls’ teams, and I hope those of you reading this will consider sitting in that student section, cheering on your classmates.