I’m a sports fan. Growing up, I watched the Canucks. I watched hockey in general, the NFL, the NBA, and, on off days, even golf. I’m also a big Formula One fan. However, I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a diehard sports fan now.
In my program, I’m surrounded by genuinely passionate, incredibly dedicated sports fans who know every nitty-gritty detail about players. They know the stats, what the players ate for breakfast, their jersey numbers, and even the history behind the teams. Meanwhile, I just like watching sports. I have my favourite players and teams, but I’m not the type to sit down and discuss stats or strategy endlessly. I simply enjoy what’s in front of me and react to it in the moment.
It’s kind of hard being a casual sports fan surrounded by dedicated ones. As a girl into sports, you also deal with stereotypes and constant questioning. It’s annoying, honestly. Sometimes, people’s reactions make you wonder, “Why do you care so much? At the end of the day, it’s just people doing their jobs—they just have a slightly unconventional job.” But I get it. I understand the passion and dedication that come with being a sports fan. I understand why people love the stats, the history, and the strategy.
Even so, there are other things in life to be excited about. I like to keep a balanced perspective—except when the Canucks are in the playoffs. That’s non-negotiable for me. If they’re in the playoffs, all bets are off. It’s a big deal, and I don’t play around with that.
If there were a tier system for sports fans, I’d say I’d fall somewhere in the middle. I’m not the number one fan, but I’m also not at the bottom. Sports don’t consume my entire life, and I try not to let it overtake what I do or how I go about my day. I’m not going to look at stats or be part of a fantasy league. I’m not spending money on bets or sports fantasy teams because, honestly, I already spend enough money elsewhere. I have a bad shopping addiction that I am currently working on so the last thing I should do is put my money on a player.
That said, I still have my moments. Sometimes, I want to go to a bar, grab a drink, and watch a hockey game. There’s something so enjoyable about the atmosphere of being surrounded by fans cheering for their teams. Some of the best moments of my life were spent watching games with my dad—whether it was hockey, football, or a 6 am Formula One Race on a Sunday. Those moments weren’t just about the games themselves but about the memories we created together.
For me, that’s the most important part of being a sports fan: the connections it create. Sports bring people together in a way that’s hard to replicate. For example, my boyfriend is a big basketball fan. When we first started talking, basketball became our main topic of conversation. We bonded over the NBA Finals last year, and now 6 months later we’re arguing about what’s better Hockey or Basketball. It’s funny to think that sports were the starting point of our relationship.
Even though I don’t obsess over stats, I do know my stuff when it comes to teams and players I’m passionate about. I ask questions when I don’t understand something—usually to my dad, who’s a fountain of sports knowledge. He never gives me attitude about my questions, which I appreciate. For example, even though I grew up watching baseball and watched my dad play softball, I still don’t fully understand the infield fly rule. But he always takes the time to explain it to me, no judgment.
As a girl who loves sports, though, asking questions can sometimes feel discouraging. There’s this pressure to already know everything or risk being dismissed. But learning about sports—or anything, really—doesn’t have to be a demeaning experience. If you’re new to being a sports fan, it shouldn’t be an uphill battle to get into it.
No matter which teams or sports you choose to follow, someone will always have something to say. They’ll tease you about your choices or question your loyalty. It’s frustrating, but you just have to push through it and remind yourself why you enjoy sports in the first place. For me, it’s about the fun and the joy it brings—not about impressing anyone with my knowledge.
One thing that’s helped me navigate this space is following women-run sports media outlets. Locally, we have a website called Girls at the Games, which promotes women in sports. I love checking out their content because it offers a fresh, relatable perspective. Similarly, Evolution 107.9 has some great sports writers who cover hockey and other topics with a unique voice.
Reading and watching sports coverage led by women is incredible refreshing. It’s kind of like the concept of the male gaze versus the female gaze in movie making. Women bring a different perspective to sports journalism, and it’s something I try to incorporate into my own writing. I aim to make my articles more accessible and relatable. It is also great seeing more women in that field of work.
One of my main inspirations growing up was Hazel Mae a Filipino-Canadian Sports Writer and Commentator. She was a big inspiration for me growing up because she looked like me. Throughout many sports broadcast channels all I would see were men taking up much of the screen and fair enough they have the knowledge and the talent to do the job however seeing her do the Bluejays coverage and MLB media was always a delight for me.
I genuinely think it’s essential to have diverse points of view in sports media. It creates a larger, more inclusive community. Not everyone approaches sports with the same mindset, and that’s okay. By breaking things down in a way that’s easier to understand, we can make sports more approachable for everyone.
So, yeah, that’s how I feel about being a casual sports fan in a male-dominated space. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it. I hope you found something relatable in this article, and I’m looking forward to sharing more sports content—both from me and my classmates.