When I was little, I was hardly what you would consider athletic.
Sure, I tried. I spent a brief career in softball, followed by soccer, then dance where I flopped around on stage like an uncoordinated noodle. These failed talents ultimately led me to my not-so-inevitable destiny as a basketball player, where I spent my time having coughing fits to avoid going out on the court and enjoying the cool gear I got more than the 7 a.m. practices.
Resurrected my “dancing career” for a sorority event. Guess who is standing out 10-feet taller than the others…
When I got to high school, I discovered that everyone had a niche, and performing on the court, field and stage just weren’t mine.
However, if being a fan was a sport, you better believe I’d be on a scholarship to some school in the SEC.
Dedication is driving 78 miles out of your way to go see the filming locations of your favorite TV show…like the River Court from One Tree Hill.
Over the years, my dedication transcended into different sports teams, different celebrities, different movies and different TV shows. I transitioned from fan to fangirl, which is a sport that I take very seriously.
As the true daughter of my father — the ultimate sports fanatic — I live out my genetics through yelling, which is a favorite action of mine as a fan. I’ve even borrowed some phrases over the years (“What are you waiting for, an invitation?!” and “You’re joking” are my favorites), which can be very versatile and applied to multiple situations.
I alternated between yelling and using binoculars to spy on the dugout at this game…
Just like in sports, being a fan has multiple facets to the game — and I’ve dabbled in every sector. I’ve been a dedicated fan, bandwagon fan, fairweather fan and super fan.
Whether it’s the Tampa Bay Rays, the UCF Knights, Batman (The Dark Knight series) or Glee, I’ve involved myself in them all. I’ve cheered, jeered and considered throwing in the towel (The 2008 almost-World-Series-winning season for the Rays and last Thursday’s episode of Glee to name a few instances.) I’ve seen strike outs and makeouts. I’ve rooted for players and characters. But most of all, I’ve stayed involved — and isn’t that one of the fundamentals of sports (or something) anyway?
LOL. No caption necessary.
I always heard the phrase “there’s no ‘i’ in team” in my short-lived time as an athlete. There is, however, an “i” in fangirl. And just like someone who plays tennis (which also has an “i” in it), I take the solo-sport of being a fan very seriously.
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