Riley Gaines commends the high school field hockey team for forfeiting and takes a jab at the NCAA president.

Riley Gaines commended a Massachusetts high school for not playing a boys' team in its girls' field hockey game, while also criticizing NCAA President Charlie Baker.

The host of OutKick's "Gaines for Girls" podcast and the director at the Riley Gaines Center at the Leadership Institute, Gaines, discussed Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School's decision to forfeit against Somerset Berkley on "Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich."

"This is what leadership looks like. Last year, at Dighton-Rehoboth High School, a team played Swampscott in a field hockey game. A boy on the team slashed a shot that hit a female player in the face, causing her to lose all her teeth. She underwent facial reconstruction surgery to reconstruct her face and smile."

"The superintendent issued a statement, emphasizing that safety is more important than winning. I found this statement to be well-put. He further stated that the team may not make it to the playoffs or compete in the league championship, but that's okay because his priority is to protect and prioritize his students and athletes."

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."

Gaines said she wished Baker would follow suit.

"Gaines stated, "I wish the NCAA president, Charlie Baker, had half the gumption that Bill Runey, the superintendent, possesses.""