Where My Ladies At?

THESE ARE OUR STORIES
(How I Became a [Female] Hockey Fan)!

My parents attended their first Penguins game in 1983. They fell in love with the game almost immediately and continued to cheer on their Pens. After my sister and I were born, my parents decided that they wouldn't force us to become hockey fans; we would choose whether or not we wanted to be sports fans at all. However, my parents continued to watch hockey games on television and I would often find myself curled up on the couch with my dad yelling at Jagr and Straka to shoot! There were times when my mother would force me to bed because a game was going into overtime and I had school in the morning. I would put up the biggest fights trying to stay up and would sometimes demand a final score in the morning.

I continued my support for the Penguins even when hope seemed lost, and eventually found renewed faith. Today, I'm a 20 year old hockey nut who has to prove to my male friends that I'm not just into the sports for the players. I'm at the age where people don't give me a chance to explain my story. They make assumptions and label me because I am female. It doesn't matter that I can out-stat most of my male friends, or that I'm helping my other female friends learn the game, I'm a young woman, so I must love the game because "the players are just sooooo hot!" It's frustrating, but I get through it knowing that at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what anyone else says. I'm a true fan, and I'm proud of it.

Jenn M.

Good for you Jenn! We all put up with these stereotypes as women which is pretty unfair when you think about it. It's one of the many battles of being a female in a "man's world" and one of the various reasons I thought these regular posts were important - so that we can all be proud of our stories and realize that there's more to us as women than finding the men of hockey attractive. I guess the main thing is to learn to be comfortable with who you are as a fan and then take it from there. Of course the players are attractive, but that's not why a true fan - male or female - watches (although it doesn't hurt either and I'm not ashamed to admit it!)!! Thanks for sharing your story, Jenn!!

Don't forget, if you wish to submit your story, I kindly ask that you email them directly to me so they don't end up being repetitive for some of the readers. Also, if you don't want me to include your name, please let me know that as well (what I'll normally do is put your first name and last initial if I have it OR just your screen name).

I also want to let you know I LOVE these stories (and so do alot of our readers) - I've always found it interesting no matter who the fan, so I'm enjoying ALL OF THIS IMMENSELY!! KEEP THEM COMING, but I ask that you email them please - THANKS!!!

Also, I ask that you please BE PATIENT as I'm still receiving TONS of stories in addition to the ones that are already posted in some of the "comments" sections here that I'm hoping to re-post. If you sent in a story, it will eventually be on the blog - I promise!! ; ) JUST BE SURE TO KEEP THEM COMING (the more the better!)!!

thesteelcitysportsfan@gmail.com