We are celebrating Women’s History Month by sharing bits of our history. This week we are talking about our athletic prowess or lack there of. Wickeds answer the following questions:
1. Did you play a sport growing up?
Edith/Maddie: I took ballet lessons for ten years (from an inexpensive-but-fabulous teacher that held classes in public schools after hours and on Saturdays – all costumes sewed by the moms, of course) and swam recreationally in the summers. So…no.
Liz: Not if I could help it.
Jessie: No, I never did.
Barb: I took ballet for years, too, which didn’t leave much time for school sports.
Sherry: Barb, I always wanted to take ballet, but we couldn’t afford it. One summer, I think in fifth grade, my PE teacher convinced me to play on a softball team. She lured me with the promise of going to A&W after games. I lasted two practices. My PE teacher failed to mention it would be hotter than the blazes and we were supposed to catch, hit, and throw the ball.
Julie: They always tried to get me to play basketball or volleyball because I’m so tall, but I wasn’t the sports type.
2. On a team or just for fun?
Edith/Maddie: We played all kinds of games for fun. After I “grew up” (not very far up) I did earn a black belt in karate. That was fun, too! As a grad student I played on a softball team, and we were terrible but had loads of fun. As a mom I played on a mom’s softball team.
Liz: Once I ended up on the basketball team in high school (don’t ask me how). I scored two whole points the entire season and spent most of the time on the bench wishing I had a book.
Jessie: I didn’t do any sports at all.
Barb: I took some lessons. Tennis. (Terrible.) Waterskiing. (Terrible.) Downhill skiing. (Not as terrible.) If I can be on or in the water, (except on skis) that’s as sporty as I want to get.
Sherry: Lots of swim lessons and swimming for fun. A friend and I would bat around a tennis ball, but that was only to try and meet boys.
Julie: I played tennis for fun, but never team sports. Too much pressure.
3. If you could do any sport what would it be?
Edith/Maddie: Soccer. I learned to play when I was an exchange student in Brazil (the year Pele won the World Cup for them!) and played on a loose team near the dorms in college. I love the footwork and teamwork.
Liz: I did always like dodge ball…
Jessie: I am enjoying becoming a runner. I like the elegance of it. You need some shoes and a place to do it, that’s it.
Barb: I’m not sure I want to play soccer, like Edith, but I really admire people who can look down any sort of field and anticipate what the other players are going to do and then execute the right move brilliantly. Perhaps I admire it because it’s so far from my skill set.
Sherry: Dodgeball, Liz? I can’t imagine anything worse! I would be an Olympic ice skater. When I was young my friend and I would watch the ice skaters and “skate” around her basement on the concrete floor with our socks on. The reality of my ice skating is I have wobbly ankles and I’ve always been afraid of falling.
Julie: I always love watching the ski jumpers. My two forays into skiing have been disasters, so it would never happen. But can you imagine what that must feel like?
4. Should we form a team?
Edith/Maddie: I wouldn’t be much use on one these days!
Liz: Um. Probably not.
Jessie: We are already a team! Oh, you meant a sports team? What about darts?
Barb: Darts, or there’s always the current craze for axe throwing. That doesn’t sound dangerous at all. I would be happy to have a few drinks with you gals at the local bowling lane. Next retreat?
Sherry: Ha, Jessie — love that. I’m not sure I should be throwing sharp objects. But bowling I can get behind — I have my own shoes and ball. Oh, so I was on a team once upon a time and we took first place!
Julie: Sherry, you have your own bowling ball? I think we need Wicked bowling shirts. I’m in.
Readers: Answer the questions!