😱 Let Me Go Crazy! Crazy on You, Oh
Some women can rattle off statistics like a seasoned commentator, recalling every goal, touchdown, or three-pointer as though their brain was designed for ESPN highlight reels. And then there are the rest of us—the ones who approach sports the way we approach science experiments: We try our best, we make careful observations, and sometimes the whole thing still feels like a mystery wrapped in a riddle with a whistle blowing in the background.
Please, don’t ask me the score of my kid’s intramural scrimmage. I sat there for two solid hours with full attention—well, at least as much attention as a mom can give while also calculating how many dishes are waiting in the sink and wondering what laundry needs done. I watched every minute, I cheered when the crowd cheered, but if you want numbers, you’ll have to consult someone else. It’s not that I wasn’t present. It’s that the details swirl together into a kaleidoscope of sneakers squeaking, referees mumbling, and sideline snacks being opened too loudly.
By Monday morning, the weekend’s worth of sporting events—kids’ games, televised matches, maybe a neighbor’s backyard softball tournament—has merged into one big blur. It’s like running an experiment with twenty different variables and no clear hypothesis. You know something happened, but you can’t quite pin down which part of it mattered most.
And yet, here’s the thing: women who show up, who sit in the bleachers and shout encouragement, who try to understand the difference between offside in soccer and offsides in football—those women are already doing something important. They are role models. Not because they know the stats, but because they show the kids (and especially teen girls) that curiosity and commitment matter more than keeping perfect track of the score.
Science and sports both reward the effort to engage. You don’t have to be a Nobel Prize winner to enjoy tinkering with a telescope, just like you don’t have to be a Hall of Fame coach to clap for your child’s first basket. There’s beauty in showing up, trying, laughing at your confusion, and asking questions even when the answers aren’t clear.
So let’s give ourselves credit. Whether it’s football season, soccer season, or that endless stretch of baseball for the poor souls who actually like baseball, we’re here. We’re paying attention. We’re cheering even when we’re not entirely sure why the referee just blew the whistle.
It isn’t a lack of intent or commitment. It’s just reality. We juggle schedules, meals, chores, and emotions—and then we add sports to the mix. If the details blur, that’s okay. What sticks is the memory of us being there, sharing the experience, and modeling the joy of participation.
