Although it may seem like men dominate every aspect of the world, women play a huge role today. Half a century ago, females were overlooked, especially in the spheres of politics and athletics. Women had to settle for either low-paying or part-time jobs. Times were indeed tough for the fairer sex, as men dictated the world's course.
However, times have changed. Women are now CEOs of companies, leaders of countries and athletic superstars. The world has realized that women do have talents that can make a difference and, thankfully, these talented women are getting the attention they deserve.
I recently watched "The Iron Lady" (2011), a film about Margaret Thatcher, the only female prime minister in the United Kingdom's history. Meryl Streep was awarded an Oscar for her role as Thatcher, which I think is greatly deserved considering she really made me understand Thatcher. Driven by her hunger and determination, the headstrong Thatcher rose to the top of the British government and became the Prime Minister of Great Britain.
Another woman who has risen to the top of her respective arena is Brittney Griner, the 6'8" center for Baylor University's women's basketball team. Highlighted by a couple of dunks, Griner's performance in the NCAA Tournament was off the charts, propelling the Bears to a national championship. Hard work and perseverance (as well as the fact that she is much taller than almost all of her opponents) has made Griner the unquestionable alpha dog in women's basketball and that includes the WNBA.
Here in Hanover, we also have our share of phenomenal female leaders.This past weekend, several women's teams dominated in their respective sports, so let's go ahead and take a gander at these athletic heroes.
Softball Having lost six of the past seven games, the Dartmouth softball team needed to stop the bleeding this weekend, and it did just that, sweeping both games of a doubleheader against Brown University on Saturday, although it lost both on Sunday. Hillary Barker '12 dominated on offense, collecting four hits and four RBIs in the sweep while pitching seven strong innings to collect the victory in game two. Through Saturday, Barker leads the team with a .333 average, while contributing 15 hits and 9 RBIs on the season.
Considering the wins came in conference play, the two victories were crucial. The Big Green currently sports a 3-9 Ivy League record. With a dozen games left in the regular season, the team will need more conference sweeps to assure a playoff berth.
Lacrosse Senior Day in college sports includes flowers, hugs and tears, but a victory was also part of the concoction on Saturday. The women's lacrosse team toppled the University of Pennsylvania, defeating the Quakers by a score of 9-7. Sarah Plumb '12 continued her MVP-worthy season, scoring three goals and notching an assist. Plumb has played phenomenally throughout the season and is arguably the best women's lacrosse player in the Ivy League.
The victory this weekend elevated the Big Green's record to 5-0 in conference play, placing it in the driver's seat of the Ivy League standings. Two Ivy League games now stand between Dartmouth and a regular season title, but they will not be easy, as both come on the road against Princeton University and Harvard University. The way this team is playing, however, there is not a doubt in my mind that Plumb and Co. will get the necessary W's on their way to an Ivy League championship.
Track and Field It shouldn't come as a surprise to see this team mentioned in my column, as I have been praising Dartmouth's runners, jumpers and throwers for some time now. This weekend, the Big Green easily won its only home meet of the season, defeating the University of Vermont and Middlebury College by over 50 points. The Big Green dominated the meet, and Dartmouth took the top spots in just about every event, highlighted by Dartmouth taking the top six spots in the shot put. Much like the women's lacrosse team, this group of girls has been dominating the entire season, so it's not that big of a shock to see such a resounding win.
Just because the hockey, football and basketball seasons are over doesn't mean that there aren't any sporting events to watch in Hanover. This phenomenal and long-awaited spring weather should convince you to watch these great female student-athletes dominate in their respective sports.
