Today your daughter has opportunities that mom and grandma never dreamed of. Women’s sports are making their mark. Of note are women’s basketball programs that rival the men’s. At some Big Ten universities, in fact, the women’s games are one of the hottest tickets in town.
Institutions of higher education and government are making strides, but a great deal still depends on you, Dad. This has always been the case. One 47-year-old woman writes of growing up as one of six girls in an era that suppressed women’s participation in sports, but this did not deter her father. She writes: “But with my father’s encouragement, we all had access to sports. It was our bond with him.”
The same is true today. Still, we dads need to be diligent in encouraging our daughters’ athletic abilities, as some attitudes are slow to change. You may take for granted your daughter’s ability in sports, but others will ostracize her at a certain age if she continues to excel at sports and compete on a par with boys.
There are many ways you can encourage her — even at an early age:
• Play golf, tennis or baseball with her ‘till her heart’s content.
• Take her to the basketball, volleyball or soccer game at the local high school or college.
• Help her to start a sports card collection of her choosing.
• Explain what’s happening on TV sports and in the lives of the players off the field.
• Have her explain to you what’s happening in gym class and on her sports teams, so you can encourage her in her strengths and weaknesses.
• Be open to other sports she may enjoy, like bicycling, skiing, pickle-ball, or ice skating.
Remember, you are your daughter’s dad. And, being her cheerleader will set you apart in a healthy, hopeful way.
