Ask any female athlete at CU what most of her day is devoted to, and the response will most likely be training.
Senior track and field thrower Chynna McCall has the schedule to prove it.
“I have to block out 2 to 6 [p.m.] everyday to train,” McCall said.
Women have come a long way since the days when women’s basketball players could only play half-court.
Bianca Smith, a senior guard for CU’s women’s basketball team, said she has already seen changes since she started her athletic career in 3rd grade.
“I think when I was younger and basketball was less prominent, it was a bit of a struggle,” she said. “Most young girls had to play on boys teams, and as I got older there were more and more women’s teams, and now there’re much more opportunit[ies].”
Although the attitude about women athletes has changed, there is still a stigma around women in sports, some athletes say.
When asked if she had experienced sexism in sports, McCall said she said that she has been treated differently because of her gender.
“I only think with my teammates. In the past we have had some dudes that were sexist on our team and you know, you can’t do this or whatever,” she said. “It’s not really intimidation in what I can do, it’s just that they kind of treat me differently, like a girl but it’s like I can do the same things as you.”
McCall has been throwing for seven years and continues to prove herself, taking second in the CSM All-Comers Meet last year.
Sophomore combined events athlete Katharine Dreher, one of McCall’s teammates, said she has not felt the need to overcome any more than the men in her sport.
“I couldn’t say that I see a huge difference really,” Dreher said. “Maybe just working out with the guys. It’s obvious that they are stronger than we are, but I don’t think it affects my attitude toward women at all.”
Women collegiate athletes seem to be satisfied with how things are. College athletic organizations have made it much easier for women to participate in sports.
The gap between men and women widens in professional sports.
There remains an obvious difference between the salaries of men and women professional basketball players.
The maximum salary cap for an entire team in the WNBA is $827,000. Meanwhile the Lakers’ star Kobe Bryant will make $23 million this year.
Smith is well aware of the inequality in men and women’s pay in professional sports. In regards to women’s sports, she feels it’s sold a little short.
“I think it’s a little underrated as far as payment goes,” Smith said. “And the people who watch the sport, just because we’re not as high flying as the men are, we lose some fans. So that’s where I think there could be some changes.”
These CU women athletes feel satisfied and equal to men in college sports, but it’s the professional culture that still needs to be changed before equality prevails.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Gina Yocom at Gina.yocom@colorado.edu.
