Sports are essential to a lot of people in the world. When some sports come to mind, one may think of a man playing these sports, but women can be just as good.

Taylor Tharp plays hockey for a travel team, and she also plays lacrosse for Park. “Playing sports is a really good experience, but there are some downs to it,” said Tharp. She agrees that being a woman on a team with all boys can be challenging. She prefers her travel girls’ hockey team because all the girls are uplifting. “Women should play sports,” said Tharp.

Ava Norman has been playing tennis since she was seven years old. She loves going to her matches and playing with her partner. “Sometimes being a girl in tennis can be harder because people assume you are not as good as the guys on your team,” said Norman. “It’s fun if you have a nice coach.” She says joining tennis has helped her make new friends. “The other women I play with are amazing and strong,” said Norman. She thinks the other girls she plays with are great role models.

Terriona Gibbons wrestles and plays football for Park. “My favorite part about sports is how aggressive it is,” said Gibbons. Terriona says she hasn’t ever been pre-judged just because she is a woman, but she has seen fellow teammates go through this. “Just don’t care about nobody’s opinions,” said Gibbons.

If you have ever thought you would like to try something new but are too afraid of the environment, go for it. Women all over the world play in these male-dominated sports, and some of them are even more talented than their male teammates.