Who would have thought? A woman soccer player as flag bearer for Canada at the Olympics.
Who would have predicted? A women’s soccer team capturing the attention of the country with their roller-coaster ride to a bronze medal.
I must admit, I have a love/hate relationship with the Olympics. I hate them for all their wasteful, extravagant expense and the corruption that’s so often part and parcel of them – not to mention the nasty side of nationalism they evoke. More than once I heard the term this time around of “Ugly Americans” in reference to comments from the U.S. women’s soccer team. Interesting how the comments of one player can morph into a slag of a whole nation. But, those principles aside, I love watching the events just as much as the next person, and I admire the incredible skill and dedication of the athletes. I’m so thrilled that women’s sport – and what a great sport soccer is – was raised to such a high profile.
Take that, those officials who don’t think women’s hockey or women’s ski jumping merits a place alongside the guys at the Olympics.
Before the Games I watched a documentary on Canadian double bronze medalist Carol Huynh. She talked about how hard female wrestlers have worked to be taken seriously. And how there’s still a long way to go. A male competitor remarked to her just prior to these Games that one of the wrestlers was very good “because she wrestled like a man.”
Really.
This is nothing new. Girls grow up constantly hearing disdainful comments like “you throw like a girl” or “you run like a girl” being accepted as if there’s something inherently deficient about the gender. So this amazing, inspiring performance from our Canadian women’s soccer team helped show a world of people just how athletic, committed, resourceful, skilled and strong, both in body and mind, ‘girls’ can be.
Here in Salmon Arm it’s been said that we have one of the highest per capita percentages of young people in B.C. who play soccer. I imagine this figure will only grow in the wake of the Olympics. Soccer is both the beautiful game and one of the most accessible games. It’s the most popular sport worldwide not only because it can be played in any climate, but because it’s inexpensive. One soccer ball, a bit of open ground – and you’ve got a game.
I, personally, love the sport because it’s accessible to people of all ages and skill levels. I started playing about four years ago and, although I’ve carved out my position as the traditional “weak spot,” I absolutely love the game and all the people you get to meet along the way.
So, for all of these reasons and more, to Christine Sinclair and all the members of the Canadian Women’s Soccer Team, I have just one comment.
Thank you.