I had the pleasure of playing high school basketball with Megan. We were both members of the Haddon Heights High School girls basketball program, where we achieved a lot of success from our play on the court. I walked away from my high school basketball career with many honors, awards, and records. However, I believe one of the most important things I gained was my friendship with Megan. I am proud of her and the things that she has done with her life, she is fighting for women’s sports, and I want to show my appreciation for her dedication, through this interview. So, here is a little Q&A with Hueter herself.
Megan is the founder and editor-in- chief, of (www.becauseiplayedsports.com)…….check it out !
What exactly made you have such a passion for women’s sports?
Playing them. From a young age, I’ve enjoyed playing sports, basketball in particular. I have a competitive edge, and sports were always my outlet. On the basketball court is where I learned about diversity, leadership and goal setting. It’s where I saw hard work pay off. Essentially, it’s how I got my work ethic.
If you did not play a sport would you care this much about equality for women?
That’s a tough question. If I didn’t play sports, I think I would be a completely different person, not just in the respect of equality for women. I have no idea where I’d be. However, I will say that my passion for gender equality was born at The College of New Jersey in the Women’s and Gender Studies program (my minor). When I learned about cultural difference, I started to apply it to my personal life, and that’s where my passion for equality in sports was born.
What made you chose the name for your blog?
It’s funny – I’ve gotten that question about five times now. I chose the name because it’s clear to me that I am who I am because I played sports. As I said earlier, my work ethic was born on the basketball court. Some of my best friendships (including the one with you) were born there, as well. I have so much in my life to credit toward having the opportunity to play.
What is your blog about, what is the mission?
The goal of …Because I Played Sports is to bring a voice to women’s sports online. As a former athlete, I promise to do what I can to bring as much as I can to achieve gender equality in editorial coverage of contemporary female athletics. I’m here to vocalize what many sports editors are ignorantly missing… females.
What do you measure the success of your blog on? For example, the number of stories you write, or maybe money if any?
To date, I have not made one cent of profit on my blog, and I’m proud of that. I’m a believer that credibility is born online from those who are out there NOT to make money. The value of my blog comes from those who comment and those who link to it. I look at who is linking and what people are saying.
Feminist online leaders such as Feminist and Our Bodies Our Blog (two of the most popular feminist blogs around) have linked to my little blog. Also, I’ve had the parents of a female football field goal kicker come on my blog and thank me for posting about how their daughter was not allowed to play, but now can due to action that readers took.
Even my adversaries, those who are against Title IX, have congratulated me for allowing them to comment and for having an open, editorial conversation about a subject we disagree upon.
These are the things, in my opinion, that measure success. I take great pride in what my blog has come to be -it means more than money ever will.
What plans do you have for the future of your blog?
I have no plans. The only plan I am considering is possibly partnering with other female sports bloggers to build a network, so our voices can be a bit louder. I am all for it.
Do you feel you have made a difference in the reporting of women’s sports thus far?
I hope so. I mean, there’s not that much information out there about women’s sports to begin with, so I think any effort is a step in the right direction. We have a long way to go, but with the right partnerships and the right people sitting at the table, I think a large movement forward for women’s sports and women’s sports advocacy is foreseeable in the future. I hope to be a part of it, and I hope every woman who has played sports in their lives takes an interest in not only promoting women’s sports, but protecting the opportunities for girls of the future.
Thank you so much Megan for your time and goodluck with the rest of your career.
