But you're a girl ... hockey time!

I have always been a fan of sports. Maybe it's because I have an extraordinary amount of energy on most occasions and this lets me burn it off or maybe it's because underneath all my pretty girly clothes, I am a bit of a tom boy. Either way, I like being a sports fan. I love the feeling of being part of a team (even if it's not me playing).

However, being a sports fan - in particular a female sports fan - can bring about it's own problems. I have encountered a number of men who seem to scoff at the fact that I am into 'their' sports. I always want to remind them not to judge a book by its cover!

My favourite sport is hockey (which I have blogged about before here, here , here and here) and this is something which I got into a bit later on in life. I had always enjoyed tennis and enjoyed the odd football game here and then. This was until a friend took me to a hockey game. In the UK hockey is not a prominent sport (to the point where my area no longer has a hockey team), I don't know why because it is quite frankly AWESOME!

My first game I was amazed at the speed, the sounds, the fights, the crowd and just the atmosphere and I knew this was going to be a love affair for some time. I went to the last few games of that season and then began with the new season. I attended pretty much every game. I was judged by the way I dressed but I didn't care. So what if I wanted to wear skinny jeans, knee boots and pretty coats - that's me. I would wear my jersey with pride and I brushed off the comments that I was only there for the men. I am me and I will always be me reagrdless of where I am and the situations I am in.

My standard Saturday night hockey outfit.

I remember one of the guys I went with (who we met as he sat next to my little group of 3) said to me, " I didn't think you'd last long here when I saw you come to your first game dressed like that but now you know more than me!" To say I proved him and others wrong was an understatement. I met a guy in NYC once who said to me after I talked hockey with him- and held my own - "Wow! You really DO know your hockey? Where I come from most female hockey fans look like line backers." Umm thanks?

So I saw out that season and in that time I even dated one of the team. Not by hanging around waiting for him after games, it just kinda happened. He made eye contact a few times on ice and around the rink. We passed each other once and he stopped me to have a conversation and it kinda led to a thing. Does that change your view of me? It shouldn't, I still cheered every game and continued to do so the following season when he didn't play there anymore. Sometimes those things just happen. 

I have even made it to a game at Madison Square Garden to my favourite team the Rangers take on the Flyers. Unfortunately the score line was not a happy one that day but I loved seeing an NHL game in action. But I have to say, I did love the dingy little rink my team at home played in. 

Let's go Rangers, let's go!

I sometimes feel men feel like they have some claim over sports but guess what men... it may be a man's world but it's certainly nothing without a woman! So appreciate us for the fans we are. 

My jam for today is one which takes me back to my hockey days. It was the team intro music and always got everyone up on their feet: 

 

Have you ever been judged for liking a sport?


Today I am linking up with another strong, female sports fan: Sarah at Venus Trapped. Today she is talking about jobs she'd be great at in football!  We'd love to see you linked up too!

I've also linked up with :