Red Stars defender Jill Oakes blogs about her experiences from back home in Los Angeles during the WPS off-season and is a regular contributor for Prettytough.com.

    "I’m girly.  I sell jewelry, practice yoga, watch cooking shows,  Project Runway and What Not to Wear, and I LOVE dancing! If I hadn’t discovered soccer, I would’ve wanted to become a dancer. I’m also very emotional and sensitive, two typically feminine traits. In fact, my sometimes overly sensitive alter ego has been nicknamed ‘Sensitivo’. I’m not quite sure it needed a nickname, but it’s a running joke on me I guess. Even so, having these “feminine” qualities does not inhibit my ability to be competitive, physical, or aggressive. It’s the dynamic balance of both, feminine and masculine, that make female athletes so intriguing.

I am very proud to be a female athlete.  I love feeling strong and healthy, setting goals and achieving them, and challenging myself physically and mentally. Although women are making great strides in their interest and participation in sports, I find myself amongst the boys quite often, whether they are other athletes, coaches, or fans. These are moments when I feel particularly empowered and proud to be a woman. It is a special quality to be able to hold your own or even dominate in any activity with the guys. You empower what it means to be a girl. You may not realize it, but girls everywhere benefit when you publicly display your strengths, athletic or otherwise. You’re sending a message.  When you see one girl do it, it suddenly becomes possible for all girls to do it too.

Personally, I made my first conscious statement to the world challenging a stereotype, when I became a high school cheerleader. Yes, it’s 100% true. I was telling the world that cheerleaders deserve athletic respect, and that athletes are beautiful and feminine too. I was both captain of the varsity soccer team and co-captain of the varsity cheerleading team at the same time. How about that?

I’ll admit it, sometimes it’s just fun to feel like one of the boys. Last Sunday, I played in the annual America Scores, charity 7 vs. 7 soccer tournament at the Home Depot Center in Carson, and was one of only two girls competing in the top bracket..." 

To continue reading Jill Oakes' blog, visit: http://prettytough.com/being-a-girl-and-one-of-the-guys/