10 replies to this topic

[TBonz]

Lastly some softball pix from last season...70-200 at f2.8 and 1/1000 ISO 1250 (or so!)...

 

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[Russ]

No.1 and 6 for me. Never seen a pitcher wear a grill before. Nice light.

 

You'd struggle getting close to anything with just 200mm wouldn't you?

[Kenafein]

I have never understood why girls have to play softball because they're girls.  Softball is a game for old people, like me.  Not to take away from the athletes themselves, because there is some dynamite athleticism in those pitches.  It just kind of irks me.  I was at the store with my daughter the other day and I bought her a doctor's coat.  The young woman at the check out asked her if it was a nurse's uniform.  Again, being a nurse is a noble profession for men and women, but you know if I'd brought my son she'd have asked if it was a doctor's uniform.  This was a young woman, maybe 20 years old, I'd expect that from the older generation.  I don't ever want my daughter to feel she has limits based on her gender.  

 

Rant aside, 6 is awesome.  

[Russ]

Old people?! Yeah right. Baseball is pretty much non-existent here, softball is common among both genders. In fact New Zealand is among the top softball nations having won the world champs many times, by young athletes.

[Kenafein]

Old people?! Yeah right. Baseball is pretty much non-existent here, softball is common among both genders. In fact New Zealand is among the top softball nations having won the world champs many times, by young athletes.

In the US you play baseball if you're a boy or softball if you're a girl, a man past his prime or a woman.  

[TBonz]

Well, I hate to rain on your parade, but...

 

I actually totally agree that there is no reason girls should have to play softball or that girls can't play football.  In fact, around here, one of the high school baseball teams had a girl who made the team (Varsity or Junior Varsity) all 4 years.  I knew the girl as she had played on my younger son's team a few seasons.  Most of the other girls transitioned to softball, but she didn't want to.  I've also seen a few girls playing football as well although one was a kicker only so not really involved in contact, but she earned the position and did well.

 

I am all for the equality, but true equality would mean that boys could go out for softball or volleyball and I have heard that they do not allow them to do that.  I am not sure if any boys would actually try out for those sports, but I think it should be allowed if equality is really the goal...or, maybe they should add girls baseball and football and boys softball and volleyball.  Either way makes things equal...

 

And, I'll tell you that these young ladies are definitely athletes!  One of the girls on our school's team last year was named the softball player of the year in our state and I believe she was selected as the Conference player of the year as a freshman at a Division 1 University this spring.  She was (and is) amazing to watch and I guarantee that she would have been very competitive if she played on the high school baseball team.  She may not have started all four years on varsity like she did in softball, but she definitely would have started her last two years!

[Kenafein]

Well, I hate to rain on your parade, but...

 

I actually totally agree that there is no reason girls should have to play softball or that girls can't play football.  In fact, around here, one of the high school baseball teams had a girl who made the team (Varsity or Junior Varsity) all 4 years.  I knew the girl as she had played on my younger son's team a few seasons.  Most of the other girls transitioned to softball, but she didn't want to.  I've also seen a few girls playing football as well although one was a kicker only so not really involved in contact, but she earned the position and did well.

 

I am all for the equality, but true equality would mean that boys could go out for softball or volleyball and I have heard that they do not allow them to do that.  I am not sure if any boys would actually try out for those sports, but I think it should be allowed if equality is really the goal...or, maybe they should add girls baseball and football and boys softball and volleyball.  Either way makes things equal...

 

And, I'll tell you that these young ladies are definitely athletes!  One of the girls on our school's team last year was named the softball player of the year in our state and I believe she was selected as the Conference player of the year as a freshman at a Division 1 University this spring.  She was (and is) amazing to watch and I guarantee that she would have been very competitive if she played on the high school baseball team.  She may not have started all four years on varsity like she did in softball, but she definitely would have started her last two years!

There are outliers, but they're so rare that they often make the news in some puff piece.  A human interest story about a woman making it in a man's game.  Charming but nonthreatening, social stigmas are still in place, maybe even reinforced for some.  I'm happy to see them going out for what they want and not letting anyone hold them back though.  Obviously most schools can't fund every single sport that any individual is interested in.  Sadly, it might be even worse for the boys in this regard.  If a boy wanted to join a "girls sport" he'd probably be ridiculed by his peers.  Not much I can do about the big picture, but I'm going to do my best to instill a sense of worth in both of my children.  

[Eagles1181]

I would love to see girls football become more common.  The problem with football being boys only is that according to federal law, sports scholarships must be given equally for both boys and girls (same number of $ to each).  Since football is boys only, it sucks up a HUGE number of the boys scholarships.  Consequently many school have girl only teams in a variety of spots (trying to fill scholarship slots) that they don't offer to the boys.  Friend of mine got a skeet scholarship, and her brother at the same school, could not even join a team because there was no boys team.

 

Eagle

[TBonz]

You got that correct - Title Nine...My older son's school is starting a Women's Lacrosse program this year but have no plans for a Men's Lacrosse program...too bad as that would have worked perfectly for my younger son...You will also find some schools that will field the team, but restrict the amount of scholarships available below what the NCAA (or other governing body) allows so that scholarship money remains equal.  I've seen that before.  

 

It even occurs in the scholarships that NCAA allows.  For example, Division 1 baseball teams can carry up to 35 players.  Up to 27 of those players can be under scholarship and they are given UP TO 11.7 full scholarships assuming the school fully funds the scholarships.  Each player who is offered a scholarship must receive at least 25% of a full scholarship.  By comparison, Men''s Basketball which has a much smaller team than baseball gets up to 13 full scholarships and football gets 85.  Softball gets 12 which is just slightly more than baseball, but when it comes to the men's and women's rowing teams, men get a total of 0 and women get a total of 20.

 

They have found ways to keep the scholarship money even while maintaining the scholarships available for the money sports.  Those money sports help fund the scholarships, so I understand that.  Many of the high schools around here have started club sports like many colleges have had in place for awhile.  In the high schools, the teams are funded by the parents and any sponsorships they can get from local businesses.  The kids play for the school but there are fewer regulations and different oversight.  Schools that can't field a team sometimes combine with other schools to have a combined team.  Around here, equestrian, crew and hockey all fall into this category...And, forgot to mention last night, I have seen a few young ladies out on the ice with the boys throwing checks and working hard...Love to see that...just wish the boys had a similar option, but I don't expect it any time soon because of the ridicule and the reverse bias of not wanting a boy to take play time away from a girl...

[K-9]

Agree with others, shot 6 is awesome.

[Thumper]

Great shots!!!  Really nice captures.

 

 

Looks like that underhand rocket pitch softball.