‘Playing Like a Girl’ – In Other Words, Awesome!
Not all sports experiences are winners, but many offer useful lessons. That’s how Park Cities People staffers see it.
“My mom put me in soccer, and when I got hot, I convinced my teammates to have a tea party in the middle of a game,” managing editor Bianca Montes recalled.
At least she learned what she likes.
“I was a bench-warmer for the C Team for my middle school’s basketball team,” production assistant Imani Chet Lytle recalled. “That should tell you how bad I am at sports.
“I never made a point,” she said. “However, participating in basketball taught me how to play well with others and how to follow instructions.”
Tanika Turner, a writer, recalled her time as a middle and high school cheerleader.
“To me, ‘kick like a girl’ means with skill, finesse, and mental toughness.” Pat Martin
“Some don’t consider it a sport, but I do,” she said. So do we. Read about an inclusive group of cheerleaders on Page 11.
“When going to new schools you tend to stick with the people you know,” Turner said. “It forced me to meet new people.”
She’s also among staff members with a parent’s eye view. Her 10-year-old plays soccer.
“I do believe it is teaching her discipline and the ability to take direction,” Turner said.
Kate Martin, senior marketing consultant, and her daughter have benefited as well.
“Playing sports has taught teamwork, how to prepare for the big game, how to be a good sport, the feelings of a victory, the feelings of a loss, and time management,” she said. “All of the elements are still used daily.”
Publisher Pat Martin coached pre-K through third-grade co-ed soccer teams.
“I found that the girls, even though some of them chose to wear ribbons in their hair, were just as skilled and tough as the boys,” she said. “They seemed to be able to shake off a loss more quickly.”
Martin remembers a TV program that asked young girls and boys what it meant when someone says “throw like a girl.”
“To me, ‘kick like a girl’ means with skill, finesse, and mental toughness,” Martin said.
That’s especially true in Highland Park ISD where girls have established legacies as strong as any.
Thank you to our partner Comerica Bank for making it possible to produce this look at some of those athletes.
