Women’s Sports that are Becoming Huge (and How to Get Involved)
It wasn’t all that long ago that just about every women’s sport was considered to be behind men’s in terms of competition and spectator popularity. But that’s all changing, as more and more women get the recognition that they deserve.
If you’re looking to start something new, then it makes sense to choose a sport that is gaining traction. After all, it’s far more enjoyable when more people are involved, and who knows – if you carry on improving, you may get the chance to take part in organised and professional events. Let’s take a look at two of these sports and how you can get into them.
Football (Soccer)
Women’s football has rapidly gained popularity in recent years. Where once it was something only amateurs could take part in, there are now major sports channels that broadcast women’s professional games, both club and international, and even the ever-popular video game FIFA now includes some women’s teams as playable options. Tell that to the players of 15 years ago and they probably wouldn’t have believed you. The rise really has been meteoric, and looks set to continue.
Football generally isn’t too difficult to get into because it’s so widespread. You’ll need to gain some basic skills to begin with, but 5-a-side beginners’ teams are common in most cities, and you’ll need little more than some athletics clothes and a pair of trainers if you’re inside. Football boots don’t have to be expensive either, once you do start playing on grass pitches. Once you’ve built up a feel for the ball and the game you can then look to joining an amateur team. Again, you shouldn’t really have any difficulty in finding one, and most sports authorities in whichever country you’re from will have a directory for you to use to find clubs local to you. If you’re in England for example, then this page will let you know all the clubs in the areas and whether they offer women’s teams.
Tennis
Tennis is the female sport with perhaps the most famous athletes of all, with the likes of Serena and Venus Williams, and Maria Sharapova being household names.
It’s also of no surprise to see the major women’s games at events such as Wimbledon being some of the most anticipated matchups of the whole tournament. Prize money is increasingly level between the two sexes in this sport too, and all of the most highly paid female athletes are tennis players.
Of course, at grassroots level there’s plenty to be excited about too. Ideally you’ll want to find a partner of a similar skill level to yours, and then you can simply develop at your own pace by renting out a court whenever you want to play. Once you get your basic skills, you could look into havingsome professional training. Doubles tournaments are of course an option too, which is great because this is one of the few popular sports that have mixed competitions – you can play with your male friends too.
In the coming years it’s very likely that women’s sports will gain even more popularity. Even sports like cricket are taking off. As the season has just finished, now is a great time to get quality cricket equipment for a really good price. And then there are even more obscure sports like ultimate Frisbee available for those looking for something more ‘out-there’.
The key for all of these is to get yourself in shape beforehand, get the gear you need, and then find a good community of others taking part in the sport, whether casually or as part of a club.
