Editor's note
Charlyn Chu is a senior captain on the Richard Montgomery girls' basketball team. She is writing a diary series for The Washington Post throughout the season to document the life of a high school player. This is her second entry.
There’s a running joke on TikTok and YouTube where creators ask strangers a question: Would you rather have a dollar or tickets to a WNBA game? Most respondents say, “A dollar.” It’s absurd but sadly not surprising.
This undervaluation of female athletes seeps into high school sports.
It’s no secret the varsity boys’ basketball team gets more hype than us. Last year, during its senior night, the parking lot was so jam-packed that parents had to park their cars in neighboring streets and walk to the gym.
I’m not one to be jealous that their away games often draw more Richard Montgomery fans than our home games. Why should I, when the number of fans sitting in the stands is out of my control?
Abby Meyers, a pro basketball player, came to one of our practices in June. When I spoke with her about the disparity of interest in men’s and women’s sports, she said: “In situations you can’t control, your only choice is to be okay and keep going. … I’m going to play this game no matter what, and whoever wants to come can come. If they don’t, they could miss something really cool.”
Advertisement
What did annoy me, though, was one particular morning when RMBC (our school’s morning broadcast) came on. After a few ads from clubs and the all-important cafeteria lunch menu announcement, the broadcast played a flashy highlight reel of the boys’ team in action. As the video concluded, the announcer encouraged our student population to come out that night and support the team. Then, as if it was an afterthought, they said, “The girls also have a game.”
Also? My ears perked up, and I remember exchanging incredulous glances with my teammate and teacher, who had raised her eyebrows. That four-letter word sent our team’s group chat into a rage.
Essentially, what those morning announcements had communicated to us and the rest of the school was that while the boys were worth a lovely three-minute reel, we weren’t even worth three seconds of airtime. It was like hearing those strangers say women’s basketball players aren’t worth a dollar — except these weren’t random strangers on the internet but our very own classmates.
I’m not discouraged by having a smaller viewership. Our team puts in the hard work every afternoon because the game matters to us. We play for ourselves, and we’re endlessly grateful when our friends, families, teachers and amazing cheerleading team show up to support us.
Advertisement
But when we’re consistently sidelined in the morning announcements and our Student Government Association page appears biased toward the boys’ games with the photos posted and captions written, we have a problem. When our captain last year commented, “The girls have a game too!” on an Instagram post exclusively dedicated to the boys, another account replied, “We do not care.”
Girls deserve equal coverage and enthusiasm from their student associations and the individuals entrusted with keeping the school informed about sporting events. By focusing solely on the boys’ games, there’s an implicit message sent that our games aren’t as important or exciting or that we don’t work as hard — none of which are true. We have made these points known, and we’re cautiously optimistic amends will be made this season.
Although it’s still too early to tell, things look hopeful. Our school newspaper, the Tide, is consistent with its coverage of all sports teams. RM RocketCenter, an Instagram hub for RM sports affiliated with our school newspaper, was created this year. It has been unbiased in the players featured for live interviews and has posted sports scores for boys’ and girls’ teams. The morning announcements I have heard congratulate both teams on their victories.
Advertisement
While I feel more disappointment than discouragement when we go unrecognized, I do feel encouraged by recognition. We’re not asking for anything big. Even a quick shout-out in the announcements makes a difference — classmates will turn and look at you to say “Good luck!” or “Great win last night!” These moments may seem minor, but to the team, it’s a boost of morale. For JV players who look up to the varsity team, the recognition shows that our girls’ basketball program is valued, encouraging them to keep pursuing their athletic potential.
A transformation in the way women’s sports are celebrated is much needed, and high school sports are a good place to start.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZMCxu9GtqmhqYGeAcH2RaGltZ5KWwKyx05uYpaRdmbaivsieqmavlWKxsLrTZqWenZRisK271K1krKiRp7Jus8iro6xllJ7As7HSqZycrF8%3D