When I was eight, girls didn’t play soccer. Actually, neither did boys – at least not in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I lived. And frankly, I’m not happy about it. I bet if I’d played soccer, I would’ve been great and become a pro and kicked the winning goal in the World Cup and ripped off my shirt.
OK, no.
But I would’ve played my little heart out, just like the girls you’ll see playing in HBO’s new half-hour documentary, Kick Like a Girl.
Kick Like a Girl is the story of the Mighty Cheetahs, a Salt Lake City girls’ soccer team that seemingly couldn’t lose.
Here’s the synopsis from HBO.
After two undefeated seasons against girls’ soccer teams their age and older, Utah’s Mighty Cheetahs are about to take on a new challenge: boys. Cheetahs coach Jenny Mackenzie chronicles the adventures of these third-grade underdogs as they set out to prove their game skills and overcome the skepticism of opponents and parents in the inspiring family documentary Kick Like a Girl.
Watching the trailer was enough to make me set my recorder.
Coach Jenny’s eight-year-old daughter, Lizzie narrates the story.
The perfectly named Lizzie has juvenile diabetes and gives herself insulin shots six times a day. But she’s not about to let that get in the way of being a tough soccer player with equally tough teammates. As Lizzie puts it, “We feel like superheroes, and we can conquer anything.”
I believe it. And I have a feeling that watching Kick Like a Girl will make me feel like a superhero, too. I am never happier than when watching women play a sport that they love – and play it well.
Kick Like a Girl premiered last night, but you can catch it Saturday at 2:30 and 5:30 ET on HBO Family. It will air frequently throughout June – check the full schedule at HBO’s website. If you don’t get HBO, no worries – the DVD will be released on June 28.
Will you be watching? Were you a baby soccer star? Go ahead; brag a little. We like sports dykes around here.
