Diamonds For Women

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I recently received this spring season’s roster for my 7-year-old’s Little League team. In the email, it was noted by the head coach that he’d received multiple responses from some of our “awesome dads” in his query for assistant coaches. The only mom mentioned in the email had “graciously volunteered” as “team parent,” a thankless administrative role that’s important, but nothing like participating in a?coaching role.

In a fit of ire, and perhaps hope at building a new legacy of sports involvement for myself, I threw my name into the ring as scorekeeper. It’s also an administrative task, but one that feels less decidedly domestic. For my 4-year-old’s tee-ball team, I took an even bigger swing and offered to be assistant?coach.

It would be easier to step into these spaces if they felt more accessible and welcoming. But until there are more efforts to support and recruit female coaches for our kids’ teams, I’m hoping I can find mentorship and support.
And, just maybe, I’ll experience some of the joy of being a coach to my kids felt by so many of the men around me, as they tap into the childhood nostalgia of playing ball with their own dads.


Avni Shah is a writer based in Los Angeles.
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