The Matildas did Australia proud at the women's World Cup, but the show goes on

Don't get me wrong, you know I'm an advocate for women's sport. So much of my purpose, here and in the real world, is built around encouraging women of all ages and abilities to take up competitive sport for life, preferably team sport. There is no "I" in team. More of us should remember that.

Sport can bring you so much joy, and, as the Matilda's loss on Wednesday night proved, so much anguish. Emotions which are both essential to learning about so many things which will happen in life.

But I tried my darndest to keep a check on everyone this past week. With all due respect, I'm sure plenty of my colleaugues haven't played too many seasons of team sport, apart from some Tuesday night D grade basketball and some nine-a-side Australian football in teams full of other journalists.

Colleagues had a go at me when I dared suggest late on Wednesday afternoon that we should be thinking about stories with headlines such as "A nation mourns: how we can bounce back after the Matildas' loss".

At least we got a public holiday, a day of mourning, when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died. She would have been firmly on the side of England on Wednesday; dare I suggest, if she'd had the chance, she'd have been a powerhouse deep left midfielder with a solid tackle, resolute against any attack.

It's sport, people. No one really remembers winners or losers. Who came third at the Women's World Cup in 2019? Seriously, who even remembers who came first? Not me. For the record it was the United States. I do think I remember something of that, but only because I've read a few things this last fortnight about Megan Rapinoe. So sad she missed when she did. Nice hairdo.

I've been playing competitive sport since 1970 - go the East Orange Budgies under 5s hockey team - and I can really only name one year where I won something - it was 2006 when we won on penalty shootouts and I scored, Cortnee Vine-like, in sudden-death, to win the match.

I only remember that because I'm still playing with some of the same women 17 years later.

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My favourite social media post of this World Cup week was from Sam Kerr, showing her, Emily van Egmond and Caitlin Ford together since the 2011 World Cup. Twelve years of friendship.

This is why women play sport. I hope it's the reason anyone plays sport. Mind you, Sam Kerr earns something like $3 million at Chelsea. I'd play with anyone if I was earning that kind of money. (Actually, I can name a handful of people I wouldn't play with for any amount, but such is the politics of lower-grade Canberra hockey.)

But back to bigger things. Midweek I posted something on Facebook about how the World Cup was irking me because I was a little sick of all these bandwagon jumpers, jumping on to women's sport. Women's sport has been wonderful for years, I posted, why are you all just noticing now?

There were lots of comments about how media attention and money have made all the difference, how Australian women's teams have dominated for years in team sports such as hockey, netball, softball, even basketball and cricket, without anyone paying too much attention.

A few former colleagues sent me messages about how their careers - remembering that I was once an award-winning sports journalist - were stymied by sports editors who didn't think it was appropriate for us to cover men's sports, but sent male colleagues away with women's teams.

To this day, I've promised Canberra Times sports editor Chris Dutton I'll give him the best five years of my career if he lets me back to the sports department before I retire. (Retirement is going to happen.) Spam him, via email, if you'd like to see me do it. Spam him hard.

Another friend, who I met through playing hockey when we were both well over 55 years of age, told me she was once told she'd never amount to much as a sports psychologist because she was a woman and would never be allowed to talk to anyone.

Others talked about the gender pay gap, about monetary bonuses being paid, or not, if teams did well, about social media and television exposure, new opportunities and developments in skill levels.

I guess I should just be happy that there's a conversation about women's sport now. That colleagues and friends, and complete strangers, are marvelling at the fact that women like to get together and kick a ball around and have some fun.

If they win, all the better. Australia loves a winner.

But when your whole life has revolved around sport, I just struggle to see what all the fuss is about this World Cup year.

Come and watch me play hockey on Sunday afternoon. Same, same.

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