Women's Basketball Paves the Way
Rise in Women's Sports
Olivia Cooper | Reporter
Olivia Cooper | Reporter
A basketball lies on the Gallatin High School court. Photo by Olivia Cooper.
March Madness is long over and bets have been settled. With South Carolina winning in the women’s division and UConn in the men’s, this college basketball season has brought forth many victories beyond the court. Players’ names are becoming mainstream and a common conversation starter, especially in the Gallatin High School classrooms. To find exactly what GHS students are talking about with this epic season, an anonymous student was interviewed on their opinion. This anonymous GHS student has a long history of basketball, so naturally, they are here to give insight of what this big success in women’s sports means for them.
Sports mean different things for a lot of people. It can be to have a team around you, to stay active, or even to meet new people. Anonymous says for them, “It gave me a fun thing to do and it’s a way to socialize, a good outlet.” On a personal level, sports are a great way to connect with people but especially yourself. However, professional sports takes on a whole different meaning as hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people find themselves involved with college basketball.
The past season has been a major hit for the women’s basketball league in college basketball. Anonymous admits, “I hear a lot more about women’s basketball,” as many others have felt this year too. Big names like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, JuJu Watkins, and Kamilla Cardoso have changed the game with how many record-breaking moments this season held for them. Anonymous mentions while being asked their opinion of Caitlin Clark’s jump to fame, “I think it’s awesome, it’s super fun to watch her. She plays into the attitude and it’s entertaining to everyone.”
But Clark’s rise to fame is bringing in major representation for women’s sports, as many times they seem inferior to men’s division sports. “Caitlin will go to the WNBA and change women’s basketball.” Anonymous brings up the point that, “No one really follows the WNBA, but I think that will change.” Clark holds the title of NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer in both men's and women's basketball, meaning she is destined to bring more and more viewers to the National League of Women’s Basketball.
Players from all around the world will be keeping eyes on Clark. Many of Clark’s passions are well known to be centered around providing a role model for young girls to look up to. Having someone so high in the league can prove to not just younger girls, but to everyone, that women have a place in sports to do great things.
No matter what, women in sports are doing more for the community than what they are given credit for. Pushing boundaries, dealing with intense criticism, and never getting enough representation, the fight for equality in sports is a long game. Yet, it is one we are winning. Many more records are to be broken with the determination that comes with this playing field, so watch out for the next game and start cheering for the women paving the way.