CORRECTED Aug. 30th
“Show your ticket stubs at Jenison Field House for FREE admission to the MSU women’s volleyball game tonight at 7:30 against Florida State.”
Where's the love for women's sports?
That is the announcement that will most likely boom to the masses at Spartan Stadium this Saturday. With their stadium seating around 75,000 people, the football team hardly seems to be plagued with the need to beg for attendance – even after a series of games full of disgraceful play. So why do the many exceptional women’s teams at MSU – with perfect records – continuously struggle to fill their arenas?
Some argue that women’s sports aren’t as intense as men’s sports, and that women are not as skilled or as strong as men. These statements are made mainly by the people who have not seen Allyssa DeHaan score countless points and rack up 145 blocks last season – almost three times as many as the 55 blocks Drew Naymick, the men’s basketball team’s leading blocker, racked up. The same people probably missed the women’s tennis team making it to the Big Ten Championship finals, as compared to the first round knockout of the men’s tennis team. And how many people know about our women’s golf team winning the Big Ten Championship last season?
Personally, I enjoy watching women’s tennis more than men’s. Same with soccer. I feel that the passion and intensity of the sport is shown more through women in both of those instances – and the fact that I played both helps a little.
The bottom line is that we, as MSU students who want our school to be an athletic powerhouse in addition to the exceptional academic institution it already is, should support all of our athletes – male and female.
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