Sarah Palin: High School Athlete, Vice Presidential Hopeful

I heard the announcement that Sarah Palin had been named McCain's running mate over a radio morning show on my drive into work. No one knew anything about her so they were taking calls from anyone who could provide even the smallest amount of insight into her life. One of the callers mentioned her participation in sports in high school and how she braved through a broken ankle to help her team win the state championship in 1982. He argued that she showed real grit and character as an athlete and we could expect those same qualities to make her a successful Vice President.

Now, I absolutely agree that sports can teach a person a lot. Playing a sport will teach you about teamwork, cooperation, setting goals, self-discipline, performing under pressure, performing through pain, pushing your physical limits, and pulling through emotional challenges. And watching how an athlete trains for and plays her sport will reveal a lot about her character. But I'm not convinced that it will make you a great VP...

Christine Brennan commented on Palin's athletic background, too. Here's one of the excerpts:

"I had a great upbringing under Title IX," Palin told Alaska Business Monthly shortly after becoming governor in late 2006. "I can't imagine where I'd be without the opportunities provided to me in sports. Sports taught me that gender isn't an issue; in fact, when people talk about me being the first female governor, I'm a little absent from that discussion, because I've never thought of gender as an issue. In sports, you learn self-discipline, healthy competition, to be gracious in victory and defeat, and the importance of being part of a team and understanding what part you play on that team. You all work together to reach a goal, and I think all of those factors come into play in my role as governor."

You can read the full article here.