Joomla Login LightBox powered by WowJoomla.com

Troop Master Vicki Hites kept all the Herald sports sections since last September and had her girls count up how many stories were on boys versus girls and how many mentioned both. So, as they tallied them all up, I began to think to myself on how good a job I actually did.

After they tallied the stories for both, they moved on to the boys and counted 77 stories. Uh-oh.

Then it came to girls, and after the final count, the total was only 58. I have never had so many sad, little puppy-dog eyes stare at me at one time.

But hey, I do have a good reason for it. There are extra boys’ sports in the fall and winter in soccer and wrestling, which would probably account for most of the difference.

When I started to explain that to them, the smiles started to come back and they were anxious to know what my job entailed. I told them a few details, but instead of having them listen to me talk for 30 minutes, I handed each of them my camera.

I wanted them to see, what I see, on almost a daily basis. They practiced taking action pictures as we simulated a track and field race in a small kitchen area inside the church. I have to admit, some of them took some pretty good pictures.

But as I tried to show them how my job works, I actually learned a thing or two from them as well. I had never been concerned before about having more boys’ stories than girls’ in the paper.

I am just focused on covering whatever event is on the calendar and I usually don’t think twice. Now, I will.

It also made me realize how much boys’ athletics is still a priority over girls’ in almost every high school and college in the country. Title IX has narrowed that gap some, but there is still a lot of work to do.

So, thank you Maya Hites, Megan Eberhart, Audrey Bryan, Johanna Vickrey, Stephanie Rose and Blair Vohs. You have made me think a little differently.
Oh, by the way, this one counts as a girls’ story, right? I am trying.

 TrackBack URI for this entry