Boy on girls team

[MTR]

Do you want an emotional reaction or simply the facts?

The law is that schools receiving federal funds must give an equal opportunity for boys and girls to participate in sports based upon their desire to play sports. A child can't demand one sport or another, but the "slots" for participating in sports have to be proportional to their desire to play sports.

Prior to the 1990s, schools believed that girls didn't want to play sports. It turned out, after lots of surveys, that the schools were wrong. The interest by girls and boys to play sports is roughly equal.

E.g., if a school has 100 slots for boys varsity athletics (60 for football, 15 for basketball, 25 for baseball). Then, the school has to provide a 100 slots for girls athletics. So, schools end up with more girl sports than boy sports simply to balance it out.

Don't know where you get your information, but girl's teams have been big in HS sports since long before I graduated in 1970.

 

[MTR]

I agree. Football just doesn't fit into the equation. The team size is disproportionally large, but it's too popular and brings in too much revenue to get the axe. So instead, schools lose sports like men's gymnastics, swimming, diving, waterpolo, archery, fencing, etc. Unintended consequences. I've got to think that the desired goal was for women to have opportunities in sports EXACTLY like gymnastics, swimming, diving, waterpolo, archery, fencing, etc. not for men to lose their opportunities.

Just look at the Olympics. Title IX and the opportunities it gave women brought the US a boatload of medals in women's events, no doubt about it. But our smaller men's sports are on the decline and it's not fair to those athletes.

I've argued this before, football is unique. It cannot reasonably be balanced and should be removed from consideration. Balance the men's sports other than football with women's sports.

You can argue that all you want, it is wrong for one simple reason, it involves human beings who have one priority, themselves. That's pretty much proven itself over the decades which is why there is a Title IX.

 

[sluggers]

Don't know where you get your information, but girl's teams have been big in HS sports since long before I graduated in 1970.

I have no idea what you are smoking. I went to HS from 1967-1971. There were ZERO Varsity HS sports at my school for girls. (Shall I send you my yearbook?) The Illinois High School Association web site lists a girl's basketball champion for the first time in 1978. There was a girls softball championship in 1975.

Anyway, what I said was: "Prior to the 1990s, schools believed that girls didn't want to play sports." What I should have said was, "Prior to the 1990s, schools believed that girls didn't have the same interest level in sports as boys." How do I know? I filed two Title IX complaints against my DDs' school districts, and that is what I was told. After the surveys came back showing that the girls had *MORE* interest in varsity sports than boys, the school district had to add sports.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

. I went to HS from 1967-1971.

Good gravy!!! I wasn't even born yet!!!


High School Athletes

1971-72 female 294,015
Male. 3,666,917

2007-08 female 3,057,266
Male 4,372,115

Title IX and Athletic Statistics | AAUW


I'm sure even back then every school was different in size and athletics offered. Guess you both could be right from that view.

 

[Rockjerry]

He should be allowed if the school does not have a boys VB team.

I agree. If there is a boys VB team then he needs to play on that team.

 

[Rockjerry]

Tennessee's Rules spell it out this way:
Q. A school has both a boys’ soccer program and a girls’ soccer program. Can a female student participate in
both the girls’ program and the boys’ program?
A. No. If the school has a girls’ soccer program, then any female student may participate on the girls’ soccer
program. If a school does not have a girls’ soccer program, then the student may participate on the boys’ soccer
team. This would also apply to basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, tennis, and track and field.
and.....
Q. Can a female student participate in both baseball and girls’ softball?
A. Yes. Baseball is not defined as a comparable sport to softball. A female student may participate in both girls’
softball and baseball.
and this....
Q. Can a boy participate on the girls’ volleyball team?
A. No. Girls’ volleyball, by its title, is a sport for girls only.
Although I am not aware of any girls that played both Baseball and Softball at the same time.

Why is it Ok for girls to participate in boys sports but not the other way around? What if there was a girls volleyball team and no boys volleyball team?
Also, since softball and baseball are not comparable sports, can boys also play softball? I'm sure many dads played softball in summer leagues so it would stand to reason their sons may want to play as well.

 

[Lozza]

Why is it Ok for girls to participate in boys sports but not the other way around? What if there was a girls volleyball team and no boys volleyball team?

Because teenage boys are inherently stronger than teenage girls.

Title IX was brought in so 'teenage girls' could get equal access to sport. The reason for this is the centuries long misogyny that has existed to deny women opportunities. Misanthropy has never existed in the world any of us have known. This boy, who can play any other sport he wishes, is going to take away the spot of a female. Playing against other females. Teenage girls when playing in male sports, have to be ten times better.

 

[CoogansBluff]

2007-08 female 3,057,266
Male 4,372,115

In high school, unlike the NCAA, there need not be balance in participation. I like that, since it will be driven by demand and not Title IX requirements. (Not that I'm against Title IX, but one of the repercussions is that many men's sports have been axed to accommodate it.)

In Georgia high schools, my understanding is that a school is legally mandated to offer any sport that can lead to a college scholarship -- if there is enough demand. There is no boys volleyball in Georgia because not enough boys are trying to play it at the high school level. But there is wrestling because it's very popular.

This rule is part of what killed slow pitch softball as a Georgia high school sport. It was dying out any way, but several schools cut slow pitch even when enough girls still wanted to play it. That's because there were no scholarships in it so schools dropped their slow pitch teams to save money. You can't drop fastpitch or soccer or track & field -- if there are enough kids in the school who want to participate.

 

[chinamigarden]

Why is it Ok for girls to participate in boys sports but not the other way around? What if there was a girls volleyball team and no boys volleyball team?
Also, since softball and baseball are not comparable sports, can boys also play softball? I'm sure many dads played softball in summer leagues so it would stand to reason their sons may want to play as well.

Do we really think that women get so many advantages that men do not. To the point that we have to take over spots on teams that are designated for girls.

To those in favor of a boy playing on a girls HS sport team. I wonder how you guys would feel if your dd's team makes the State final only to find out the pitcher, catcher and SS on the team you play next are boys. I am sure all sorts of unfairness will be pointed out.

 

[fastpitch]

What I found interesting was that there was some sort of test, like arm hang, running, etc which he did and far exceeded the average female. If he had tanked those athletic tests to be inline with an "average female" it sounds like he might have been allowed to play.

From that it appears as though the rule is if you are a boy that is not that good you might be able to play girls volleyball.