by Chloe Deckrow

The goal of the Women’s Athletic Leadership Club at Grandville high school is to bring more awareness to female athletics and female issues. There tends to be a big concern that female athletes don’t get the same treatment, all the props, and the fans as do boys sports.

Club co-advisor Mrs. Peterson said, “It has everything to do with the inequities of boys sports verses girl sports.”

She went on to say it’s not just Grandville High school, it’s the society and culture that girls sports are not as valued as boys sports. Girls are just as guilty of not giving the support to girl’s sports, too.

Woman athlete and club member Kaitlyn Orme started her career in the sports world young.

“I’ve always wanted to play softball and my parents kind of pushed me into it, so I started T-ball and instantly fell in love with the sport,” Orme said. “I started playing basketball through one of my friends who convinced me to play and loved that sport also.” Orme is also now committed to play softball at Ferris State University. Kaitlyn felt like the WALC was a perfect fit for her because of her passion for sports.

Girls in the club are going to girl’s event and bringing slips provided by the club that they fill out and give feedback on how they felt about the sport and what they liked that they saw during the game. These slips are then given to the coaches of the sport and they read it to the team.

According to Mrs. Peterson they have gotten really good responses from the teams that they have done it with so far.

The club is also not only just focusing on the women athletes but also on women rights and issues in general.

Something they plan to do is make some kind of drive for women who are out on the streets going through the hardships of having to deal with their menstrual cycles and not being able to afford things like tampons and pads . They’re still working on the details, but they think it is gonna be after the holidays where everyone in the club brings money or pads that they will then donate.

Julia Veenkamp says, “Yes, you have to be an athlete and a girl to join the club but you don’t have to be involved with specifically Grandville sports,” and Emily Anglim said, “ It is not too late to join!”