Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1355686
A nyone who has read my editorials over the years may recall that I have a daughter who I coached in recreation sports for many years and that she now has a daughter as well — I know, I know, I don't seem old enough to have a grandchild. But I do. That's them in the picture on this page instead of my mug. One of the reasons I enjoy this Girls' and Women's Sports Issue every year is because it celebrates the sports my daughter played during her growing-up years — and probably kept her out of a little trouble. Now her daughter, Morgan Ashley, is on the verge of beginning her athletic career – she already loves kids' running races – and I will keep a close eye on the products she uses. To continue with a theme I started last issue by answering the same questions I posed to others for an article, I am once again going to interview myself as an offshoot of the What Dads Want feature that starts on page 10. Here goes ... So, who made the equipment purchases in your family? Sports gear was the one thing I was allowed to buy for my daughter and I was glad to pay for it. And I'm sure I'll be shipping down a pair of cleats or soccer ball to Morgan next season. Was it hard to shop for her? It was simple to buy gear because I love sports. The clothes were a little different challenge — I let her mom handle that end of things. And don't get me started on sports bras. On a scale of 1-10, what rank would you give manufacturers? Definitely a 9 or 10. The quality was always good and lasted the season, which was all that was needed because she had usually outgrown her shoes and uniform by the next season. What did you like and dislike about her sports equipment and apparel? I liked the simple fact that it was for sports and it brought us together, either shopping for it in the first place or driving to practices or games on Saturday mornings. Did this apparel and equipment improve since she began playing sports? The gear definitely improved. I remember the composite basketballs making life a lot easier for girls' hands and soccer balls not getting ruined in the rain like they used to. And the uniforms were just so much more comfortable. Are there times you just had to buy equip- ment, footwear or apparel that was unisex or made for boys? Almost all of the time. Her shoes were always boys' sizes and the equipment certainly was, although the basketballs were the smaller size of course. Any embarrassing stories? Well, speaking of apparel — for years I was commis- sioner of our recreation soccer programs and it was so much easier to purchase unisex uniforms for both the boys and girls, which essentially meant they were boys' styles. I got a lot of grief from moms of girls about the fit and from the girls themselves about the boys' shorts they were issued. Very few of them ever wore those shorts. My bad. Where did you buy your daughter's sports stuff? How much did change? One of the best days of each season was going to Farrier Sporting Goods in Wyckoff, NJ, to get her and her brothers a new pair of shoes, a mitt or a soccer ball — or to The Sports Authority or Dick's in later years. We didn't ever buy anything online at that time, thank goodness — we always went to a store and it was a much better experience than buying with a few clicks. If you have a message for the makers of your daughter's sports equipment and uniforms now, what would it be? Keep making good products for female athletes, because I will be watching you. n What An Editor Wants For His Girls My message to makers of girls' sports gear for my daughter and granddaughter: Keep making good products, because I will be watching you. 6 Team Insight ~ March/April 2021 teaminsightmag.com MICHAEL JACOBSEN STAHLS.COM | 800.4.STAHLS PERSONALIZE LIKE THE PROS bit.ly/stahls-perfeects BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO UNIFORM NAMES & NUMBERS PERFORATED PRESPACED TEXT & NUMBER EFFECTS TI0121 • Add eects to your Pre-Spaced Text, Pre-Spaced Numbers, & Player Perfect ® Orders • Available in CAD-CUT ® Thermo-Film ® , Thermo-GRIP ® , UltraWeed™, & Premium Plus™ 6 UNIQUE PERFORATED STYLES AVAILABLE PERFORATED PRESPACED TEXT & NUMBER EFFECTS