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I don’t have a lot of fond memories from being 22, but one of them was what my roommate and I used to call “Women in Sports Empowerment Night.” We d pick up ramen, light the nicest candle we could find, gulp bad wine like water, and watch a procession of women’s sports rom-coms all night long. I know most of the world famously has plans for this Sunday, but if the Super Bowl isn’t for you, no shame in that game; you can still get your fix of sports-adjacent content by watching any one of these movies. (And, hey, if you want to pause and flip over to the Super Bowl just to see if Taylor Swift is there, that’s fine!)
Blue Crush (2002)
If anyone could convince me to run away from home and become a surfer despite my absolute lack of core strength, it’s Kate Bosworth in this movie (not to mention Michelle Rodriguez in the best board-shorts-and-bikini looks ever). Yes, the rom-com quotient is satisfied with strong-jawed football player love interest, but really, this is a movie about sisterhood and surfing and ordering really nice breakfasts from hotel room service with a man’s money. Aspirational!
How to watch: Stream on Apple TV, Starz, or YouTube.
Stick It (2006)
Gymnastics has always stressed me out—too many rules!—but this Missy Peregrym-led film thumbs its nose at precisely those restrictions and celebrates a sport that’s all too frequently written off. I didn’t know I needed to see a beam routine set to “Come Baby Come” by K7 until I first saw this movie, but it turns out, I really did.
How to watch: Stream on Apple TV.
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
I know Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley famously fight over a man in this movie (“My coach, Joe. Joe! Man! Joe!”), but I still persist in reading way too much queer subtext into it. This one actually has me wishing I didn’t dramatically quit soccer in fifth grade, even though I was beyond terrible.
How to watch: Stream on Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, or YouTube.
The Cutting Edge (1992)
This film really has it all: extremely sharp ice skates! Thwarted Olympic dreams! An enemies-to-lovers plotline! Plus, Moira Kelly and D.B. Sweeney have pitch-perfect romantic tension in a slightly corny, very ’90s kind of way.
How to watch: Stream on Apple TV, Prime Video, or YouTube.
A League of Their Own (1992)
Geena Davis! Tom Hanks! Rosie O’Donnell! Madonna! I could keep yelling names from the stacked cast all day, but really, you should just watch this movie if you haven’t yet. Just make sure to have plenty of tissues within arm’s reach, as I’ve never been able to make it to the ending credits without sobbing.
How to watch: Stream on Apple TV, Prime Video, or YouTube.
