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1/ I’m the only active female (HSsoftball) umpire in Knoxville. I made a call. I was confident in that call. Coach (m) disagreed. He’s allowed. I clarified. Assistant coach (m) makes loud comment about me missing it because I was looking at jewelry. I loudly told him he was done.
2/ Game ends. I talk to head coach regarding comment. Coach clearly trying to get out of conversation. “He didn’t say THAT but shouldn’t have said it.” Yes coach but... “yeah he didn’t mean you were distracted.” Well coach what he clearly communicated was...
3/ that I missed the call because I was focused on jewelry... because I’m a woman and evidently am only capable of looking for shiny pretty things. *coach gets out of conversation by being dismissive and uninterested in my point*. Here’s my point:
4/ you are a significant male figure in your Athletes’ lives. How you talk to women, especially a women in a position of authority (umpire), matters. They see it. It teaches your athletes. When you question the decision of a woman, not based on its merits but on her gender...
5/ you communicate a clear message about how the world see’s women. Question my decision as you advocate for your team. I did that as a coach and I absolutely understand why you ask. You may still disagree. But disagree on merit, not on gender.
6/ I know the game. Honestly, I played it longer than you. I’m also human and will miss calls. But I’m here because I know and love the game. Let your athletes see you respect a woman that played the game. They’ll know you respect them and their efforts to play the same game.
7/ athletics teach girls leadership, hard work, grit, determination, and a whole bunch of other things that will help them be amazing adults, leaders, mothers, managers, PhDs, teachers, CEOs, and/or mothers. Male coaches of girls sports... we need you to have that vision.
