North of the 49th | Amway

Today marks the start of the 2012 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament. There are a number of reasons to tune in: it’s the last chance for Canada’s national women’s team to qualify for the 2012 London Games; Canada’s women are amongst the world’s elite in the sport; the Amway brand will be all over the tournament; and when you have some of the world’s finest competing on your doorstep, it’s always a great idea to tune in.

The best reason, though? Because women’s sports are often better than their male counterparts.

I’ve been in corporate communications for the better part of 15 years now, but prior to that (and, to be fair, concurrent to that), I’ve done a lot of sports reporting and media work. And some of the best events that I’ve ever covered have involved women’s sports.

No, it’s not for the reason some would think…

I’ve had the pleasure of watching and covering basketball, soccer, tennis, and hockey for both sexes. And while men’s sports have their advantages (more raw power, greater athleticism, better development programs – all of these, of course, are in general terms), for the true sports fans, women’s athletics is the place to be.

When I say true, I’m referring to fans who enjoy sport at its purest level; those fans who appreciate fundamentals, team play, and attention to detail. Often in men’s sports, competitions tend to devolve into individualized expressions as opposed to a commitment to team play. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but I would argue men’s and women’s sports are different, but equal.

Sadly, some women’s sports are falling into the trap of their male counterparts. Women’s tennis can be amazing: long rallies, a variety of shots, and a balance between baseline and net play. In the men’s game, it’s often little more than serve-ace; serve-return into the net; or serve, return, winner. Those engaging rallies (although I remember a match between Roger Federer and Jo-Wilifried Tsonga that proved the exception) that make tennis special are almost extinct. Unfortunately, as the women’s game develops, we’re starting to see a shift to that power game. Hopefully it will retain its balance.

It’s often hard for a man to admit liking women’s sports, not because of preference, but because of stigma. You’re automatically assumed to be more interested in the tennis skirts than the drop shots. Part of that is because women’s sports’ leagues often shoot themselves in the foot by focusing on athletes’ pulchritude instead of athletic prowess. And when you market your game as based on something as superficial as appearance, it becomes hard for people to take the foundation seriously. Some leagues choose to promote their athletes as life-sized Barbies – but let’s not forget that most people stop taking Barbie seriously in their youth.

That’s a shame, because the game is the thing – and you’ll see that first-hand if you tune into Rogers Sportsnet starting today for the women’s Olympic qualifier. Skill? Check. Excitement? Check. Toughness? Anyone who saw Canada’s Christine Sinclair score a key free kick following having her nose broken by an errant elbow during a game in June can’t doubt the internal strength that these women have.

Of course, we’d also love you to watch because Amway Canada’s all over this tournament! We’re running TV ads, we’ve got in-venue advertisements and presentations; we’ve even got this great Amway Sign Factory venture in place where fans can cheer on the squad using Amway-logoed paper.

If you’re a fan of sport in general and you’ve shied away from the women’s game, this tournament will be an ideal introduction. If you’re a fan of soccer, you won’t want miss this one – there are a lot of marbles on the table here! Make sure to join the conversation on the Amway Canada Facebook page.

And, of course, I’d love to hear your thoughts on women’s sports in general and the Amway sponsorship of soccer. Comments, as always, are open.

All the best!

Jay