Super Bowl Quiz: What does NFL “family” entertainment tell girls?

By Katie Culver

Here’s a Super Bowl quiz question: Would you send your daughter to a football game in her underwear?

I wouldn’t. And yet, funny thing is, there’s women at every NFL football game in a close approximation of panties and bras. They just happen to be on the sidelines cheering — so does that mean it’s okay?

As a mom (and a football fan) who is raising children to believe they can be in the game, or at least relate to it, I’m disturbed by the skimpy cheerleader dress (or undress):

• They are the most visible representation of women at the game. They are on the sidelines; they are cheering for an all-male team in the patriarchal sport of football.
• Girls watching the game gravitate to the cheerleaders (most teams also have a “junior” cheer squad to capitalize) and the message they get is that their involvement in this multi-billion dollar, socially pervasive sport is limited to cheering on the sidelines, wearing inappropriate clothing. The subtext: Don’t bother competing because only your body is worth the attention.
• Those at home get up-close views of these women before and after every commercial break, which reinforces women’s “place” at the game (never mind that the commercials we’ve just seen typically feature disturbing images of women behaving in stereotypically, demeaning ways).

The question about cheerleader dress in public might spur a comparison to the beach. Sure, people wear revealing attire to swim and it’s no big deal. The difference is that men and women alike are dressed to swim.

Then there’s quasi-feminist argument claiming that women who have beautiful bodies should be able to proudly display them. The problem? In a setting in which the men are not only fully-clothed, but extra clothed (with more undergarments than anyone else present) women are objectified, and the presence of cheerleaders—displaying this much of their bodies— just reinforces hegemonic notions of women’s status in society.

Why should my daughter think the only “place” for her on a football field is on the sidelines, nearly naked?

I am willing to budge: When TV cameras show fully-clothed female coaches, assistants, or trainers – I’ll reconsider. Until then, I’ll push for cover-ups for cheerleaders. In some cold weather venues, I bet they’ll snatch them right up.

Posted in Football, GenNext: Sport Girls | 1 Comment »

Kick Like a Girl filmmaker Jenny Mackenzie talks about how a film sprang from real life and why coed competition is good for kids

By Megan Wood

Sadly, the LA Sol have been dissolved, leaving one less professional women’s soccer team to inspire young players. But there is a team out there to root for: Utah’s Mighty Cheetahs. This film is not new, but if you haven’t seen it or heard about it, watch the trailer here. In it, Mighty Cheetahs coach (and filmmaker) Jenny Mackenzie documents a third grade girl’s soccer team which pushes the boundaries of gender segregation in sports by competing in the boys division (for the first time in 2005). Mackenzie — who does public speaking — is coming our way tomorrow so we took time to talk with her about the film. Inspired to make it by her own mother and the reaction of fans on the sideline when their boy’s faced all-girl competition, Mackenzie follows her dream team of 8-year old girls as they make clear that the insult “Kick Like A Girl” is actually a compliment.

FGN: What personal experiences triggered your interests in this topic and the Kick Like A Girl project?

JM: Sports have always been an important part of my life.   When I became a mother, I knew that I wanted to coach my girls in a variety of sports and I knew that having female role models in all areas of their lives was important- on the playing field, in the work place, in school, and at home.  It was my own mom who inspiring me to start filming Kick Like A Girl. She had come out to visit at the beginning of the season we were playing against the boys, and she heard some of the sideline comments from the parents, and she said “Jenny you have a great story here.”

FGN: Why do you think young boys and girls are separated by gender in athletics?

JM: I think gender segregation in any aspect of life comes from an historical context.  We’ve made tremendous progress with gender equity and integration, but there are everyday issues that remind me that there is still a lot of work to be done.

FGN: Was it as big of a deal to the girls as it was to their parents and other community members that they were playing soccer with boys?

JM: No.  The girls were really pumped and excited for the next challenge. They were ready to continue to learn and grow.

FGN: What effect did a co-ed team have on the female and male players? What lessons did they carry off the field from their experience?

JM: I think it had lasting effects on all of the boys and girls, as well as their parents.  They all learned from each other- the boys learned to respect the girls on the playing field, and therefore in other areas of their lives as well.  They also learned as they watched the girls work together on the soccer field,  that teamwork is much more effective than the ‘one man show’.  The girls learned that the possibilities for them at the age of 9 to grow as young athletes were not limited by gender.

FGN: What were the reactions of the community when you presented this documentary? Is there more co-ed play in your community?

JM: The community has wrapped their arms around this film.  They are very proud of it, and yes it has inspired more co-ed play.  We are in the process of working with local and National Youth soccer boards to have co-ed opportunities through elementary school.

FGN: Do you have any plans for another film? Are you left with any lingering questions after you produced Kick Like A Girl?

JM: I have two projects in development- one called Teen Love, an in depth look at the reality of teenage love, romance, and sexuality.  The other film is called Sugar Babies, and it looks at the public health epidemic of Diabetes through four children living with diabetes.

Posted in GenNext: Sport Girls, The Q&A | 1 Comment »

Is that SQUASH in Grand Central? Yep (just part of ’squash week’ in NYC)

Tournament of Champions in Grand Central this week

By Sarah Odell

Anyone striding through Grand Central Terminal this week could be excused for looking up from their Blackberries and iPhones and thinking they had accidentally zig-zagged west to Madison Square Garden (OK, not really, but…)

It’s not everyday that an all-glass regulation squash court with stadium seating is erected in the footpath of 150,000 commuters. I’m talking about the annual Tournament of Champions, a mega event featuring 32 of the world’s top squash players – along with a constellation of non-pro events, including the GrandOpen, which I played in last weekend as part of “Squash Week.”

As someone who has watched and played squash in 90-plus degree heat in Israel, on grungy college courts, at some of the most elite clubs in Greenwich, CT, Philadelphia, PA, there is something truly exhilarating about seeing squash in Grand Central. It’s just different to see the game in Vanderbilt Hall, an elegant space with 48-foot ceilings and chandeliers, with views on all sides and the sound of New York traffic about twenty feet from the court.

The story at this year ‘s Grand Open, hosted by the Metropolitan Squash Rackets Association (MSRA) and played at the Harvard Club, Princeton Club, Yale Club, Sports Club LA and New York Sports Club Uptown (and drew 200 players from across the US!)  –  was women.

Twenty percent more female players showed up to play this year, said Jessica Green, MSRA co-chair. The numbers, said Emily Steiff, a former collegiate player from Connecticut College who helped organize the Grand, spurred organizers to add flights. While the MSRA originally planned flights for female players – at 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 levels , heavy demand drove them to add play for  4.5 and 5.5 players.

“The growth in women’s squash in New York has been phenomenal,” said Green. In the last five years, she said, the MSRA has added eight women’s league teams (including a new 5.0 division), led clinics and round robins serving hundreds of players.

“New players are entering at the beginner and novice levels, women are returning after taking breaks for work and family, and players are continuing to play competitively post-college — all good news for the growth of the sport,” says Green, who said they saw a 20 percent growth in female entrants this year.

And the quality has been strong. “We were thrilled to see 16-year old Amanda Sobhy take third place in the men’s 6.0 draw.” Sobhy, who is ranked 55th on the WISPA tour, entered in the highest men’s division. Her result is proof that the women are getting stronger, even at the local level, and becoming a force to be reckoned with.

Posted in Squash | Post a Comment »

Score that a (giant) strike: Kelly Kulick grabs men’s pro bowling title (plus $40,000, brand new fans, and a win for gender equity)

By Laura Pappano
Last weekend – in case you haven’t heard – Kelly Kulick became the first woman to win a Professional Bowlers Association Tour Title. And she didn’t just win, she blew away her opponent. At the 45th P.B.A. Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas, Kulick beat 2007-2008 PBA Player-of-the-year Chris Barnes 265-195. That’s 70 pins. If you want to see her bowl, she’s competing next month in Colorado.

Kelly Kulick, barraged by press requests, and her mom Carol Kulick, just back to her Union, N.J. home from Las Vegas and hoarse (but elated) each spoke by phone with FGN about the experience  – and what the watershed win means.

FGN: How important was this victory?

KK: I think this is going to change the face of bowling as we know it. If there weren’t bowling fans before this happened, we gained some this past Sunday.

FGN: How much did you win?

KK: $40,000. It’s my highest prize money ever.

FGN: When you went out to Las Vegas, how did you feel about Kelly’s prospects?

CK: To be honest, at first I didn’t think she had a chance because she was bowling against these men and it is awkward to be the only woman [competing at the event].

FGN: When did you begin to think she had a shot at winning?

CK: Actually winning?  I noticed that she was striking and [Chris Barnes] wasn’t and I thought, ‘She’s going to do this! She’s really going to do this!’” The crowd was unbelievable. I really think they were behind her. They were so there for her that it pumped her up. They were cheering; it was awesome. It is amazing what the crowd behind you can do.

FGN: Kelly bowls with a 15-pound ball; many men bowl with a 15 or 16-pound ball. The pins, the lanes are the same for men and women. What makes people think the guys should always win?

CK: [The argument is that] because of their strength…they just have the power so they can scatter more pins.  It’s always been a question: Can women keep up? Can they do it? But it’s not about power anymore. It’s about precision. It’s about placing the ball. It’s about your timing. It also goes back to being told all your life that you can’t play with men. I always joke that if Kelly were a man, she’d be pitching for the Yankees.

FGN: You are saying that part of the problem is the message to women and girls…

CK: Women have been told all their lives that they can’t compete [with men]. And so they don’t think they can. It takes one woman breaking through. There is room in every sport for women. As long as they are told they can’t, they will believe that. But one by one, they are finding out that maybe they can.

KK: I always thought women could compete against men. It is more mental strength than anything else. Where men have an advantage is that as you play, the lane breaks down. It gets drier and it forces you to play a part of the lane that may not be a comfort zone. The men’s ball speed is usually faster and has a higher rev rate [more revolutions] than most women [which gives it more force against the pins]. My game is versatile enough that I can play the angles and I can usually keep up with them.

FGN: This sounds like a matter of technique and training. Are there more female bowlers who have this great training and technique?

KK: There are many more opportunities to learn now — the training and the coaching are readily available, compared to what it used to be. It has become more of an individual challenge – how far you want to perfect yourself as a professional athlete.
FGN:The women’s tour folded after the 2003 season (the year Kelly won the Women’s US Open). Since 2004, women have been allowed to qualify for the men’s Tour. Is there reason to revive a women’s tour (assuming the money is there) or should women continue to play with the men?

CK: What the women have been doing is having something like seven events just to try to get something going. But its not really an official tour. I don’t know if there will be a women’s tour again. If you could see the collegiate bowling out there it’s excellent — and these women have no where to go. HIgh school bowling is bigger than ever.

KK: I would like to see a ladies tour. We have to be marketable as people and athletes. Some of the best compliments I have received are from girls who say, “when I grow up I want to be like you.” I’m excited. I know I have affected a lot of lives.

Posted in Money, Power & Politics, The Athletes, The Q&A | 1 Comment »

It is time for the UConn women to play against the guys?

By Laura Pappano

Obviously, the UConn Women’s Basketball team under coach Geno Auriemma isn’t merely good. They are dominant. Of 20 games played so far, they have won 14 of by more than 30 points (including four by more than 50 points). The closest game was a 12-point win over Stanford.

So what does this mean?

For one thing, grouchy (but observant) Connecticut message-boarders are saying that the games aren’t interesting.

“The first words that come out of people’s mouths are why watch a blowout or why watch when you already know the outcome,” writes one poster, worried about UConn attendance dropping because they’re too good. People are “still UConn fans, but they want to watch a good game, not just a game with a good team anymore.”

Such whiners, however, have a point. And it’s a legitimate point that gets lost when people vehemently argue that people prefer to see guys play (pick the sport) because they may jump higher or run faster that the females who may play that same sport. Not true. People come to see competition. That is why college football has a TV following (as long as the game is tight) when the skill level in the NFL is dramatically higher.

Competition drives the thrill of sport.

A decade (or two) ago, we might have looked at UConn’s dominance as a sign that women’s basketball simply wasn’t there yet. (The old when-will-we-have-parity? prayer). But we have had some years of “parity” (remember Maryland’s 2006 win? A 3-pointer at the buzzer by Kristi Toliver to send the game against Duke into OT?) Baylor took it the year before.

This time is different. There is parity outside of UConn and plenty of fast-paced, exciting play. (Heck, there’s even dunking). But maybe Auriemma’s team could use some different competition. Maybe it’s time to play men. Which division TBD, but in a comparison that (take a breath, guys) I know is not fair, consider how the Huskies – men and women — stack up against one another in stats so far this season:

–      Total points scored: Advantage women (1516 vs. 1247)
–      Field goal percentage: Advantage women (.526 vs. .472)
–     3-point field goals made per game: Advantage women (6.1 vs. 3.9)
–     Free throws made per game: Advantage men (16.5 vs. 12.6)
–      Turnovers per game: Slight advantage men (13.6 vs. 14.9)
–     Steals per game (think drama): Advantage women (11.6 vs. 6.5)
–      Rebounds per game: Small advantage women (42.6 vs. 39.8)

Interested yet? I am (and I bet those message board posters and a whole lot of other folks would tune in, too).

Posted in Basketball, Money, Power & Politics | 3 Comments »

Why at 65 this female golfer now hits from the back (er “men’s”) tees

By Davi-Ellen Chabner

Why would I — a 65-year-old woman, a 23-handicap golfer — now be hitting from the blue tees (aka the back tees) — aka the men’s tees? Why not stick with the red tees, the women’s tees, a safer (and my designated) spot?

Since I started playing golf more than 30 years ago and experienced the thrill of hitting a long drive, this symbol of paternalism in sports has bothered me.

There is no standard when it comes to the distances between forward and back tees so some courses may offer a player hitting from the forward tees a substantial break — or merely a few yards. I resented the designation of “ladies tees” because it implies that women need this advantage because ANY woman could not hit as far as ANY man.

Most women don’t see the designation as a put-down,  but I can’t help feeling that it absolutely is!  Here’s why: For years, I hit from the reds and if I out-scored a male hitting from the blues the tee difference was used to diminish my score. A typical comment:  “Well, you really can’t compare a score from the reds with one from blues.”

I often find that women of any age believe that they need the advantage to score well and don’t want to “risk” hitting from the back tees.   It IS daunting to stand on the first tee at the blues.  You are very afraid of screwing up and proving “them” right, providing fodder for the belief that you shouldn’t really be there.  But then, isn’t it true that ANY time a woman has tried to break the gender barrier by changing an accepted norm (becoming a doctor, lawyer, construction worker, firefighter), she has felt unwanted and accused of “trying to be like a boy?” Even wearing pants or playing ball in school during the 1950s was a radical act for a girl!

To make matters worse, of course, the red tees have a profound negative stigma for men. You almost never seen a beginner or older man hit from the reds (even if their playing level suggests that they should). A male would no sooner step up to that tee than have a sex change.

In fact, at my club they just added GREEN tees a few feet behind the reds just for older men who could no longer manage the blues — but didn’t want to step foot on the reds!

Sisters — or any age — JUST DO IT!! Play from the back tees. It is uplifting. Experience the thrill of hitting from another perspective.  Do it for your daughters, nieces, and granddaughters, so THEY will feel comfortable hitting from wherever they wish!  This is what we fought for in the 1960s, the CHOICE to try. Play the blues and take (some) sexism out of golf!

The only female in a men's golf tournament, Chabner helps her team to first place

Davi-Ellen Chabner is an avid golfer, photographer, instructor of medical terminology and author of 3 books: The Language of Medicine, 9th edition, Medical Terminology: A Short Course, 5th edition, and Medical Language Instant Translator, 4th edition. She has run 9 Boston Marathons and 1 New York Marathon in the past 9 years. She mentors in an after-school program for inner city girls (Mellon Academy of Goodwill Industries) and is on the board of The Boston Conservatory and Friends of the MGH Cancer Center.  She is perhaps best known as grandmother to Bebe, Solomon, Ben, Gus, and Louisa Rose.

Posted in Money, Power & Politics, The Athletes | 3 Comments »

Why must softball game prep include bronzer and eyeliner?

By Megan Wood

My final college softball season starts in three weeks. Time to worry about my makeup and hair?

Softball may be a serious, competitive, slide-in-the-dirt sport, but as it grows in popularity (and TV interest), there is heightened attention — to looking good.

When I tuned into the Women’s College World Series on ESPN at the end of last season, it hit me: The players sported a perfect ponytails, sparkly headbands and ribbons — and enough layers of make-up to suit them for a magazine spread. From the shoulders up, they were vying for Miss Teen USA, not an NCAA national title.

One has only to read the coverage to discover that, like competitors in a beauty pageant, players actually schedule pre-game time for hair and makeup.

These women are fierce competitors and I know they mean business. We may be accustomed to noting perfect hair and makeup in gymnastics, but in women’s softball? (check out a few photos here, here, here, and here). Does Derek Jeter take time for foundation and bronzer before stepping onto the field?

Why must  female softball players reinforce their “girly” side, particularly for ESPN cameras? Doesn’t this hinder the message of female athletic empowerment that the Women’s College World Series is meant to convey?

Sure, we are all aware of the stereotypical line about softball –  that everyone is lesbian, that we are “dykes on spikes.” Why is it that no matter what sport women participate in that still today — it’s 2010! — gender and sexuality must take center stage over raw talent, athletic ability — and the drama of the game?

Wearing gobs of makeup (look at stills or clips and it’s not just a swipe of blush) during a national championship does not prove some quasi-feminist point that you can be cute and athletic at the same time. Rather, it reveals to the girls who are watching that no matter how strong, fast, talented or competitive they are that how they look matters most.  The Women’s College World Series is an opportunity to collapse female stereotypes of passivity and weakness, yet it’s become a stage to codify and perpetuate them.

And it’s not just softball. Just in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics, Lancome has unveiled a cosmetic line apparently inspired by the female athletes who will be competing for a gold medal.

Please, fellow female athletes, let’s stop getting dolled up to compete. Leave heavy make-up and perfect hair for dinner or the runway — not the diamond.

Posted in GenNext: Sport Girls, Money, Power & Politics, Softball, The Athletes | 2 Comments »

Battle of the sexies: Can goofy (but funny) TV score one for women?

By Lauren Taylor

It’s become standard: we listen and watch as men objectify women — and women play into it. We’ve got Serena naked on the cover of ESPN magazine, women pro squash players selling swimsuit calendars (and speaking of swimsuits, the SI annual issue is out next month).

But for at least one time slot on Tuesdays, a new TV show proves that two can play that game. I bring you, Conveyor Belt of Love. (Watch a short clip here).

I encourage you to watch the show, if for no other reason than its comic value. But for those who opt-out, here’s the rundown: Five women sit in director’s chairs and watch as a life-size conveyor belt hauls 35 slabs of meat (er, men) on by, one by one. Each man has sixty seconds to sing, dance, rap, recite or in some other way impress the women. Some men come by clothed, others more or less naked – and still other take off their shirts after being asked to do so by the women. The women have placards that read “interested” and “not interested” which they can hold up at any point in the man’s schpiel. At the end of the show, each woman selects one man for a date. The contrived setup makes for a mindlessly entertaining hour of television.

It’s obvious that the tables have been purposefully turned. The women on Conveyor are vapid — and the men are 10 cents a dozen. The females are unfairly judgmental and the guys are pathetically eager to please.

What makes this worth a conversation is that more than merely answering the Bachelor with the Bachelorette, this show offers something we rarely see: a vision of a successfully manipulated social climate. In this show, the women have done men one better. Conveyor Belt of Love, after all, is a program in which the roles could never be reversed without someone at ABC losing their job.

That said, I need to add that this arms race is not poised to turn out well for either side. I mean – what’s next? Where are we racing to?  The real-life meat market only grows less romantic and more embarrassing each passing day.

But the competitor in me has to admit that as far as gamesmanship goes, this is a brilliant little trick shot to put the women up one — if only for an hour a week.

Posted in Money, Power & Politics | 1 Comment »

“Listen up, here!” Rhode Island Coach Cathy Inglese in real (game) time on physical defense and killer three-pointers

Coach Cathy Inglese wants tougher defense against Holy Cross

The Playbook

The Playbook is an occasional series on University of Rhode Island Women’s Basketball team and head coach Cathy Inglese as she works to turn around a losing program. Check out previous installments here, here, here, and here.

By Laura Pappano

With 3:31 to go, it is a six point game, 65-59, Cathy Inglese’s URI Rams trailing Holy Cross at the Hart Center in Worcester.

Three good things have just happened: 1) Lindsay Harris sunk two foul shots, 2) the Rams flat out rejected a Holy Cross shot, sending it skittering away from the basket at a downward angle, and 3) a few seconds later URI freshman Anisha Wilson, a 5’6” bundle of speed and intensity, leapt up, Randy Moss-like, and stole a Holy Cross pass out of the air.

Time out called. Rolling Stones come on mid-song at full volume. URI fans rumble the wooden bleachers with their feet. Could this be it? Could this be the momentum-shift URI needs?

Coach Inglese, clipboard in hand, kneels on the wood floor in her pinstripe slacks. “Listen up here,” she says, and starts drawing and shouting over the music with an intensity that has every player focused on her black magic marker and the message that comes with it: “We are playing reactive!” We need to push them on defense. Don’t just stand there! Don’t just be a body! Emanate energy! Challenge them physically!  “We are GIVING them OPEN THREES!!”

When it is over, 80-71, Holy Cross players are whooping it up in celebration, banging their fists against metal AC venting in the hallway leading into the locker room.  And why not? It’s their first home win and the end of an 8-game losing streak.

For URI, which entered this game 7-7, the loss came down to defense – and three-pointers. Holy Cross was a stunning 13 for 22 (59.1%) from 3-point land. (Game stats here.)

Put another way, they scored 39 of their 80 points on threes. If those shots had been two’s the score would have been 67, not 80.  How do you defend against that kind of shooting?

Before she steps into the locker room – as she does before halftime and (though more briefly) during time-outs – Coach Inglese gathers her coaching staff to hash over what they see, what stats show, and proposed adjustments.

There is always a message, but part of building a team, Coach Inglese will say later, is that she needs to give the same message many times, that some players “get it” and some still don’t. That like someone learning new dance steps who is suddenly lost when the full-tempo music comes on, DI basketball is a detailed, skilled business that runs at warp speed. It takes time to master.

At halftime, she let them know that they had dug a hole, but warned, “I’m not asking anyone to play extra ordinary.” Her message then was about defense and team play. “Everyone is out there doing their own thing. That was 10 games ago. The games we’ve won, we’ve played as a team,” she says. “They are jacked up. We let them get hot. It’s all about you. It’s not about them.”

Despite the message that if they played their game (instead of just responding) that they could win, it happens some — but not enough. In the locker room afterwards,  there is the smell of sweat and the sound of silence. The players sit on wooden benches, shoulders slumped, knowing what’s coming. Coach Inglese, intense, but purposeful, fires. “What lost us this game?”

After a very long quiet, a voice offers, “Defense.”

“Our transition defense was God awful!” she says. “This team is not that good! We made them look good!”

She is concerned that players aren’t making the adjustments she’s asking them to make. “What are you guys afraid of?” she asks.

Her point is this: if opponents keep beating you on drives to the basket, if they keep beating you on three-pointers, then know they will do those things and step up your defense against those tendencies. “You’ve got to make them beat you on something else!! Make them beat you another way!!!”

Her messages to players during time-outs (plus halftime) have been the same messages — and that’s the well of her frustration. As she wraps up, she gives them the positives – they outscored their opponent in the second half (four players scored double digits), they out-rebounded Holy Cross (34-30) and killed them on the offensive boards (17-7). Later, when they are showering and heading to the bus, she gathers some perspective. They are good kids, no attitude, no eye-rolls — nothing — when they are yelled at or yanked for messing up. They listen. They are trying.

At 1:42 a.m. Coach Inglese e-mails. She has gone over the film and she wants to point out that there are some small, but worthy developments. Players are talking and interacting more, showing more emotion.  When one player was knocked down on defense, another jogged over and helped her up.  “Believe me,” she writes, “this was big. Small signs that mean a big thing.”

And, she acknowledges, Holy Cross was hot.  “I wish the outcome could have been a little better,” she writes, “but after watching the game tape I have to say that Holy Cross hit a lot of big 3’s…we were on them for many and they still put them in.” (Video post-game interview with Coach Inglese here).

Posted in Basketball, The Coaches | 1 Comment »

Top pro squash player on match prep, the fallacy of burnout — and why a bikini calendar

Grainger bests Alison Waters in the finals of the Burning River Classic in Cleveland, Feb. 2009

By Sarah Odell

What happens when you cross a genetic pre-disposition with an environment crafted for squash excellence? Answer: Natalie Grainger, one of the top women’s squash players in the world (she’s been # 1) and president of WISPA (the women’s professional governing body).

Natalie has great genes — her mom, Jean, was a former No. 1 player and British National Champion — and she grew up in a squash environment. Her mom and dad, a South African Civil Engineer, built the Parkview Squash Centre in South Africa, which Natalie refers to “as a second home.” Throw in that she picked up a squash racquet at 2 ½ years old and it’s clear why Natalie has some serious victories – and investment – in professional squash.

She recently took time from traveling and playing to talk about learning to be a competitor, burnout and — bikinis.

FGN: What have been the hardest aspects of the game to master?

NG: When I was younger and just starting on the tour, I struggled to understand that there was no such thing as a perfect game of squash. I needed to just get on with things and compete to the best of my ability.  I became a really tough competitor, and could win even when I wasn’t at my best – some of my most memorable wins are not championship victories, but battles I had to overcome with players that tested me to my limit.

FGN: How do you balance your role as President of WISPA with competition (against players you represent)?

NG: I have learned to separate my work for WISPA from my play because my role  includes dealing with promoters and handling player’s needs as a board member.  Being able to shut my laptop, close my eyes, visualize my game, understand that I cannot affect anything else or see to anything else is liberating. It allows me to prepare and get ready for my matches, which for me is one of the most enjoyable parts of my life!

FGN: Many athletes, especially in college are burnt out by the time they make it to school. What keeps you playing?

NG: I’m going to turn this around and ask your readers, “Why do you consider yourself burnt out?” I don’t understand that so-called issue. Sport is fun and social and teaches you to find a competitive edge that can translate into any career (which by the way will be a whole lot more stressful than chasing down a squash ball!) I would say that the term “burnt out” is an over-exaggeration and surely cannot apply to school kids arriving at college. How are they old or experienced enough, how can they be burnt out from a sport that they don’t play full time, how can they know the stress of paying rent by whether or not they perform?  Squash has been my chosen career, but I play because it is the sport that has been the most enjoyable for me.

FGN: How do you mentally prepare for matches?

NG: On game day I find time a few hours before my match to lie down, close my eyes and semi-nap/visualize my upcoming match. It allows me to play some points, focus completely and utterly on my upcoming performance, my strategy for that particular opponent, and also work through any anxiety I might feel by understanding in my mental darkness that I am really good and that I am ready to be tested. I always set an alarm clock, usually giving myself about 45 mins for this down time. When I get that flutter of nerves in my tummy thinking about the game, I know that I am ready. Often walking through the door of the court for my match I get another flutter of nerves, this always makes me smile and laugh inside as it is the competition of a squash match that is getting my juices flowing – we have to laugh at the way the human psyche works don’t you think?

FGN: WISPA has decided to do a swimsuit calendar for 2010. Is that right?

NG: When WISPA decided to do the first calendar last year, we went with squash kit and a second shot in black tie dress. Many people often don’t recognize the girls — having admired their ability on the court, retrieving, lunging, striking, mentally digging in, concentrating and often showing a side that is competitive and often ruthless to an opponent — when they emerge from the changing rooms to emerge in high heels, jewelry and trendy cocktail dresses, with their hair done, make up on and ready to socialize with sponsors, patrons, supporters and fans!

With the Cayman Open coming in April, we had the ideal opportunity to shoot a “hot” calendar on their beautiful beaches, so I contacted Patricia Lyons, a friend, squash fan and fabulous professional photographer. All of us loved our time behind the camera! It was a little nerve racking to begin with, but by the end of the shoot, the inner goddess certainly came out!! Huge fun!

FGN: Why do a “hot” calendar?

NG: WISPA decided to do a hot calendar for the fun element and to showcase our international athletes in a way that showed their appeal as awesome women that are strong and diverse — and the bikini calendar caught people’s attention! We have been able to get pieces in many different magazines and websites due to the fact that the calendar is tasteful and sexy and we believe that it promotes our tremendous athletes in a cool and energized way.

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