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Play Like a Girl: The Top 20 female athletes on screen

While millions of people will be watching big burly men throw a ball around and run into each other this Sunday, we know guys in tight pants and shoulder pads aren’t the only athletes who matter. While the Super Bowl is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world (I said “one of,” don’t get mad at me fans of that other football), plenty of female athlete characters have had us glues to the screen — both large and small.

So in the spirit of sportsmanship (though mostly just because female athletes are hot), here is a countdown of the Top 20 lady jocks in film and television.

20. Mariel Hemingway as Chris Personal Best

Watching this movie now might make you cringe, but it does give you an appreciation for those tiny, tiny shorts.

19. Lynn-Holly Johnson as Lexie in Ice Castle

She was a blind figure skater, people. Respect.

18. Rachel McAdams as Regina George in Mean Girls

Regina George with a lacrosse stick is the most terrifying image ever committed to screen.

17. Piper Perabo as Paulie in Lost and Delirious

I fenced once in summer camp, it’s a lot harder than it looks.

16. Dianne Agron, Naya Rivera & Heather Morris as Cheerios on Glee

Sure, we see more singing than cheering from them, but they sure do love wearing their outfits.

15. Kate Bosworth as Anne Marie in Blue Crush

Great uniform or greatest uniform?

14. Ellen Page as Bliss Cavendar in Whip It!

Bonus points for those cool roller derby nicknames.

13. Shay Mitchell as Emily on Pretty Little Liars

She’s a swimmer. She’s into girls. Cue “breast stroke” joke here.

12. Missy Peregrym as Haley in Stick It

Those abs, have mercy, those abs.

11. Katharine Hepburn as Pat in Pat and Mike

Kate plays golf and tennis in this movie, though I’d be perfectly happy just watching her just tie her shoes.

10. Tatum O’Neal as Whurlitzer in The Bad News Bears

Tatum in her Little League uniform is still every tomboy’s ideal.

9. Kirsten Dunst & Eliza Dushku as Torrance & Missy in Bring it On

Cheerleading is a sport, they show it on ESPN.

8. Moira Kelly as Kate Moseley The Cutting Edge

Toe pick!

7. Sanaa Lathan as Monica in Love and Basketball

Why haven’t they made more films about women’s basketball? Seriously, why?

6. Michelle Rodriguez as Diana in Girlfight

This is the moment we all went, “Wow, who is this Michelle Rodriguez person?”

5. Hilary Swank as Maggie Fitzgerald in Million Dollar Baby

She only gets placement in front of Michelle because, thanks to The Next Karate Kid, we know she can also do karate.

4. The entire cast of A League of Their Own

There’s no crying in baseball, except perhaps at how amazing this cast was.

3. Parminder Nagra & Keira Knightley as Jess & Juliet in Bend it Like Beckham

This isn’t just a great women’s sports movie, it’s a great sports movie — period.

2. Helen Hunt as Tami Maida in Quarterback Princess

I mean, it is a football weekend, after all.

1. Erin Daniels as Dana Fairbanks on The L Word

Because no other fictional professional athlete will ever, ever be as sorely missed.

After seeing all those fantastic female athlete characters, the saying “You play like a girl” seems like the best compliment ever. I’d play on their team any day. So, who are your favorites?

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