If You Let Me Play Sports...

If you let me play, if you let me play sports. I will like myself more; 

 I will have more self-confidence. 

If you let me play sports. 

If you let me play, I will be 60 percent less likely to get breast cancer;

 I will suffer less depression. 

 If you let me play sports, I will be more likely to leave a man who beats me.

 If you let me play, I will be less likely to get pregnant before I want to.

 I will learn what it means to be strong, 

 if you let me play...*

 

She has said for a solid year, "I want soccer" having watched her oldest brother play. There is a place nearby that starts soccer out at 18 months so we decided at 2 years old, she was ready. The two year old class was full, so we had to "try out" for the three and four year old class. She did great. 

The old Nike commercial played through my mind, as I watched my two year old run up and down the field with bigger kids, following instructions and yelling enthusiastically. 

Yes, I'll let her play sports.

In fact, I'll insist.

*source - 1.  Nike, Inc. television  advertisement.  Text as reported  in Eleanor Mallet, Everywoman:

Letting Girls Have a Sporting Chance, THE PLAjo DA. ER (Cleveland),  Oct.  3,  1995,  at 1E.

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