Everett Williams is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Gilbert High School for AZPreps365.com

The Gilbert Tigers softball team is currently 3-7 in the 6A Central conference, but their wins and losses haven’t necessarily been the focus for the Tigers this year. Head coach Jordan Pedersen and her athletes have put the future of women’s athletics into perspective, all while celebrating the pioneers of the past.

The growth of women’s sports has been a steady incline, especially in the past few years. We’ve seen the growth of both women’s professional and collegiate athletics. For instance, the Women’s College World Series drew over 12,000 fans, a new record. WNBA viewership across platforms such as ABC, CBS and ESPN has risen 16 percent, according to the WNBA. However, there is definite progress that still needs to be made in comparison to men’s sports. From the hiring of women in the working field of sports to the pay of female athletes, issues still exist.

But these harsh realities aren’t distracting Pedersen from what she loves to do. For her, the chance to motivate young women to change the issues surrounding sports is more important than adding to the win column on the diamond.

Gilbert softball creates a strong culture of respect for trailblazers in women's sports. (Everett Williams/ AZPreps 365)

“There’s something about the idea of getting to mentor young women and use softball as the avenue to teach them different life skills that they’re going to need down the road, there’s just something about that that I absolutely love,” Pedersen said.

Realizing how far women’s sports has come has been an important task for Pedersen’s squad, something that isn’t easy for a high school student to recognize. But Pedersen had made sure to implement a self-teaching method for her athletes.

While the Tigers have been working on the field refining their swings, working pitch grips and turning double plays, work has been done outside the softball field researching icons and brainstorming ideas of change for women’s sports.

 

The Tigers have been educated throughout the season on female role models. (Everett Williams/ AZPreps365)

“I think if we can educate our athletes on Title IX, on people like Carol Hutchins (winningest head coach in NCAA Division I softball), if we can educate females about that from a young age, they’re going to be more passionate about it as they continue to grow and play,” Pedersen said.

Athletes were assigned to research and present a report on sports icons, both female and male, who have accomplished careers and have made strides towards the growth of sports, specifically for women. Before practice, the Tigers sat in the bleachers and presented their reports to each other, enjoying the opportunity to act as a teacher to their teammates.

“One of the things that I try and stress to my girls is: you have to pay it forward,” said Pedersen. “We’re benefitting from all of the work that all of these women have done and now we have to keep doing the same thing for young girls who are coming up.”

During practice this year, the Tigers have heard from speakers form the Arizona Softball Foundation Hall of Fame, an organization dedicated to the history and the advocacy of softball not only in Arizona but in the United States. These speakers have come in to educate the athletes and discuss how softball is trending along with detailing the progress that has already been made.

“The girls appreciate what they have a little more when they understand what people didn’t have in the past,” Pedersen said.

 

Tigers understand the scarifes made before them due to guest speaker appearences. (Everett Williams/ AZPreps365)

But make no mistake, the Tigers are well aware of the current state of softball and women’s sports. They’re in tune with the reality of the situation and their opinions matter perhaps more than anyone else’s.

“Male and female sports are advertised differently,” said senior infielder Madison Okano. “Even at our school, I feel like the boys’ sports are talked about on the speakers way more than girls’.”

The issues are present and more become more apparent at the professional level. An important factor to consider is empowering women’s sports naturally by marketing women sports equally with men.

“Women need that exposure right now because men already have such a head start on branding,” said freshman outfielder Kambri Garcia. “If you expose the women with the men, it can still be organic if you do it properly.”

 

Tigers undertand the unfortunate realities of men's and women's sports. (Everett Williams/ AZPreps365)The pay gap between men’s and women’s sports is another looming issue that has caught the attention of the Tigers. The opportunity to chase their dreams feel as though it will inevitably fall short.

“I think that’s what preventing the industry from growing more,” said senior infielder Madison Mendoza.  “Women can’t do what they aspire to do because they’re not getting paid as much. A man can walk into a field and be great and get paid millions. A woman can walk into a field and she can be paid a lot only if she’s amazing.”

The unrealistic dream of playing professionally has forced some to focus on the academic side of college and not consider the athletic side seriously.

“How come men can do something that they’re passionate about when women have to put that away?” said Garcia. “They (women) don’t even have the (serious) opportunity because there are so many people in financial situations that they can’t afford to play softball as a profession.

The Tigers remain optimistic however of the fast-paced game and opportunity to advocate for women’s sports. The future, they understand, lies in their lands and under the guidance of Pedersen and these who have come before them, Tiger pride will continue to fight.

“For me, instead of focusing on ways that we (women) might be portrayed negatively, I think it’s more important to understand that we are making strides forward and the further we continue to push the envelope, the more we’re going to be able to ask for,” said Pedersen. “Yes, there are still things we’d love to have but compared to where we’ve been in terms of female sports, in terms of softball, we’ve come a long way.”