After three years of swimming, I have acclimated to the attention our team’s ridiculous dress up days attract. But as an insecure sophomore, I was ready to be a wallflower once the season was over. No more chants of “TOGA! TOGA!” following me down hallways or leaving a trail of glitter in my wake from my fairy princess outfit.

And so just about a week after swimming had ended, I sat in my assigned seat in chemistry class, blissfully rummaging through my backpack. I was like every other student not dressed in traditional Roman garb manufactured from a bedsheet or in an incredibly itchy tutu.

That’s when it happened.

A flash of green. Suddenly my bowling uniform had been stolen from its hiding place between my textbooks and was hoisted into the air like a polyester flag. I was mortified. Giggles followed and the condescending, “You’re on bowling team?” was whispered around the room like in a game of telephone. I was more embarrassed about my position on the bowling team than I ever had been on a swimming dress up day.

Even now that bowling has been accepted as an official school-sponsored sport, I still find girls on the team shying away from recognition as a “bowler,” as if the label is more taboo than Lord Voldemort’s name.  I, on the other hand, now wear my bowling uniform proudly to school every time we have a meet.

Whether it’s swimming, bowling or anything in between, every Spartan athlete is just that: an athlete. Every sport deserves the same respect, and no athlete should be ashamed to participate.

That said, I am no stranger to belittling other athletics. I used to catch myself waving off sports such as badminton because I did not think that the players worked as hard as I did as a swimmer.

It was not until I attended a meet that I saw how hard each member of the team really works. Watching the players in constant motion and the coordination needed for a well-timed smack of the birdie left me with a newfound respect for the sport.

I realized playing a few games of badminton in gym did not make me, by any means, an expert on the difficulty of the competitive sport. I had judged the legitimacy of the players without really understanding       the game.

The same has been done with bowling. Even though your Lifetime or Team Sports class went to Brunswick a few times, you do not understand competitive bowling unless you have seen it or participated in it yourself. The team atmosphere and the pressure of a game contrasts with the laid-back recreational bowling that is experienced with friends or in class.

Every person has his or her own definition of “athlete,” whether it be a football player or a cheerleader. I ask that each member of the student body be considerate of the legitimacy and work ethic of every Spartan sport participant.

Whether it’s a “good luck” in the hallway to a uniform-clad student or physically coming to the game, show your pride by cheering on every athlete, no matter what sport he or she may play. Any Spartan should be proud to compete in green and gold knowing they have the support of 2,000 other students behind him or her.