Massachusetts HS field hockey team declines to compete against school with "opposite sex members"

The girls' field hockey team from another school is being refused to play by a Massachusetts high school because of biological male players on its roster.

On Tuesday, the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District announced that they would be forfeiting the girls' field hockey game against Somerset Berkley Regional High School.

The decision to forfeit was made after coaches and team captains discussed a new policy that allows players and/or coaches to opt out of any games or competitions against an opposing team that includes a member of the opposite sex.

The school district has announced that it will forfeit the Field Hockey contest scheduled for September 17, in accordance with School Committee Police JJIB – Interscholastic Athletics, which was approved by the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School Committee on June 25, 2024.

"Our Field Hockey coaches and captains made the decision to forfeit the game, and we informed our opponent. The District supported this decision as safety is a top priority. We understand that this forfeit may affect our chances for a league championship and playoff eligibility, but we hope other schools will follow suit to prioritize safety and promote fair competition for female athletes."

The coaches and captains' decision is influenced by the events of the previous game between Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School and Swampscott High School, which took place last year.

A female from Dighton-Rehoboth sustained severe facial and dental wounds following a shot from a male from Swampscott, necessitating hospitalization.

Kelsey Bain, the field hockey captain, wrote a letter to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) in response to an incident, urging the organization to modify its policy.

"The stigma of boys playing on a girl's team may be a deterrent, despite the potential interest, according to Bain's letter."

It is certain that school districts can establish co-op teams to provide more playing opportunities for males in their own division, as you are already aware of the MIAA handbook's rule 34, which specifies a boys' field hockey division under the Fall Sports category.

"By proposing a seven versus seven boys league, you can turn around the negative publicity the MIAA has been receiving due to the incident on Thursday night."

During the 2019-20 school year, 41 boys played on girls' field hockey teams, according to an article from the New Boston Post, as cited by Bain.

"The traumatic injury of one of our teammates highlights the dangers of male athletes competing in women's sports, as our teammates were both worried for their injured teammate and fearful of having to return to the field and face a male athlete who had previously hospitalized one of our own."

The MIAA acknowledged safety concerns but prioritized inclusion.

"The MIAA stated that while they acknowledge the complexity and concerns surrounding student safety, the exclusion of students of one gender from participating on teams of the opposite gender cannot be justified solely on the basis of safety concerns. The arguments presented often fail due to the lack of evidence linking injuries to mixed-gender teams."

Bain had a response to the MIAA’s statement.

"We all observed the significant harm that a man can inflict on a woman during a game," Bain wrote. "When will the MIAA stop using girls as mere data points and recognize that boys do not belong in girls' sports? Will it be twenty injuries, one hundred, or even death?"

Planet Chronicle' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

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