TodayNo decision yet on boys in girls sports
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Article RatingBig Spring School District isn't ready to decide if boys should continue playing field hockey — or any other girls sports, for that matter.
Athletic council members, administrators and school board members bounced around the issue for an hour Wednesday morning without coming to a conclusion.
Superintendent William Cowden opened the meeting by saying he wanted to use it to "frame the issues" pertaining to boys playing on girls teams.
Ultimately, the school board will make the decision, but not until a recommendation has been made by the athletic council.
Cowden said before making a recommendation, the council needs to consider policy development, the topic of "exclusion" or "modified inclusion" and legal issues.
And, the superintendent reminded the council, "any decision can be challenged in court."
Many questions
Heated discussion followed from council members and the audience, made up of female field hockey players, the three male players, some concerned parents and coaches.
Cowden said he has only seen policies in other district excluding boys from girls field hockey, girls softball and girls volleyball.
According to Red Lion School District's policy, which was distributed to the council, boys aren't permitted to play girls teams in the York County school district because those sports are considered "contact sports" and "...the physical size, speed and power of male athletes would create a hazard to the health and safety of female participants...."
School board Vice President Gale Mellinger said she has questions pertaining to Title IX and remains "undecided about this whole thing."
According to Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972: "No person in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal aid."
Former head softball coach Dolores Shank said she initially wanted to allow boys on girls teams but has changed her mind because "men are bigger, strong, faster. Period."
Safety concerns
David Gutshall, an athletic council member, said if the school excludes boys from playing on girls teams, then girls should not be able to play on boys teams. He pointed out that in 1995 Erika Woods played football for Mechanicsburg High School, and five years ago Julia DeLuca wrestled against boys in Carlisle's 100-pound weight class.
Dora Kuntz, co-head field hockey coach, said she has suggested the boys start an intramural field hockey team and "prove themselves worthy" of getting their own team.
The three boys — Mike Acela, Travis Dechene and Adam Alexander — played the entire fall season, in which the Bulldogs finished 7-11-2 overall and 5-10-1 in the Keystone Division. They ended up eighth in the nine-team division.
Kuntz said other teams have boys on their teams — such as John Schwartz at Cedar Cliff — and that it should be up to the coaches and referees to determine if the playing conditions are unsafe for all the players.
She said the boys on her team "are very coachable" and they earned their positions on the varsity team.
Unhappy opposition
Big Spring High School Principal John Scudder said he doesn't think the idea is fair. "I don't think (boys and girls) are playing on a level playing field."
Carol Kuntz, co-head field hockey coach, said a person who identified himself as the athletic director from Northern High School verbally berated her for playing the boys after Big Spring's 2-1 win over the Polar Bears.
The next athletic council meeting is 7 a.m. March 12, but members agreed that a special meeting should be scheduled to further discuss the issue.
