2013-Fall Bloom:
10/16/2013
7:52 PM
Page 8
This increase in fandom may be linked to the large-scale increase in female athletes and the demolition of stereotypes regarding women in sports. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, during the 1971-72 school year — the same year Title IX was passed — there were 294,000 female athletes. By the 2011-12 year, that number had risen to 3.2 million, a nearly one thousand percent increase. In 2011, more than 435,000 girls were involved in basketball, 380,000 in softball and 370,000 in soccer. Roughly 1,600 girls representing 421 schools have found spots on football team rosters. Locally, female participation is thriving: Of the 17 sports teams represented at James Madison University, nine are women’s. “You have to give credit to Title IX,” said Shelly Bawcombe, head coach of the JMU women’s lacrosse team. “It gave us the awareness and the opportunity. Now, females have an opportunity at a younger age.” The attraction to sports, whether as spectators or participants, stems from an abundance of reasons. Two of Bawcombe’s players, Megan Protrowicz and Leah Perrotta, grew up playing sports; Protrowicz began playing in the seventh grade, Perrotta in the third grade. “Being from Maryland, I grew up around lacrosse,” said Perrotta, a senior public health education major. “I love the intensity behind sports.”
Taking to the field
Protrowicz nodded in agreement. “The intensity,” said Protrowicz, a red-shirt senior in the JMU school of communication studies. “The intensity that comes with playing sports is great and I love the camaraderie. When one player is down, she is picked up by another. We really feed off each other.” The fight for a spot on the court, field and track was filled with ups and downs. For decades, “femininity” was associated with skirts and high heels, not helmets and cleats. Women belonged in the stands, not on the field. Emily Garrity, a two-time captain for the University of North Carolina’s women’s lacrosse team, touched on stigmas attached to female athletes in the past. “The ‘lack of femininity’ stigma is really starting to fade; it’s not as prevalent as it once was,” said Garrity, who was a member of the 2013 NCAA championship team. “People also think [female athletes] are not as tough as the guys, but we are.” Garrity has a point: Comparing men’s and women’s sporting events, differences in both physicality and competition arise. “Women’s sports have more finesse to it,” admitted Protrowicz. “But I do think the respect for women’s sports has risen, and will continue to rise.” While a place on the field may impact fandom, shifting social constructs may, as well. A young woman’s exposure to sports at an earlier age influences her team preferences. “Most studies on consumer behavior on sports suggest that if you’re a youth, and you’re introduced to a team, you’re identified, or attached to that team,” said Dr. David Shonk, sports management professor in the Sports and Recreation Department at JMU. “For example, my daughter is a huge Washington Nationals fan and that’s because I’ve introduced her to the game.” Edwards developed her love of the Dolphins in the same way: Her father is a big Miami fan. “It’s a family thing,” she said.
Redefining femininity
Research as to why women began following sports en mass is conflicting. Some have said it stems from social reasons, whether women go see a sporting event to be closer with their families or tag along with a boyfriend because he’s a fan. However, many women resent this notion, saying that they love sports just as much as men do and follow just as fervently, as the numbers provided by the Journal of Sports Management suggest. While at one point, “women” and “sports” were two words that rarely shared the same sentence, times have changed. Research has shown that female spectatorship and participation is rapidly rising to the point where athletic activity is no longer synonymous with men. There is no denying the rise of the 21st century female sports fan. She’s found her place both on the field and in the stands.
On the social side
A sports fan himself, Matt couldn’t be more excited to have ladies rooting for the Jaguars, as well (the team needs all the support it can get).
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Bloom
Fall 2013