The phrase “you play ball like a girl” may have been popularized and known most notably for The Sandlot, a baseball movie. Such a phrase, though, has been used over and over again in the sporting vernacular in a derogatory manner to denote that if you do play ball “like a girl” it really means one cannot play.
Of course, women athletes such as those in the WNBA look to change that on a regular basis. In an interview with Comcast Sports Net Mid-Atlantic, the Washington Mystics’ Elena Delle Donne talked about how women athletes are continuing to earn people’s respect.
It’s like we’re always fighting the battle of trying to show the everyday fan that we’re incredible at what we do and we play a beautiful game.
–Elena Delle Donne
The WNBA’s 2015 MVP went on to mention how WNBA athletes have received a litany of respect from their NBA counterparts, but how the problem can be the “random Twitter trolls” that feel they could beat a women’s basketball player one-on-one.
She went on to mention the negative connotation the word “tomboy” has for some people and that at times male athletes do not take it real well when they’re being outshined athletically by a woman.
It wasn’t celebrated like the boys who were great athletes.
–Elena Delle Donne
The CSN networks are airing a documentary called “Tomboy” that highlights sports and gender starting this month.
By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)
