Boys play on girls field hockey team

DapperButch · 02-21-2011, 07:32 AM

I thought folks may have an interest in discussing the below. Boys choosing to play on a girls team as there is no boys field hockey. They even wear the same uniform, which includes skirts.

If this is a repost, my apologies (It was originally written in September 2010, but someone just sent it to me via email). I thought it interesting enough to share, as we mostly look at the crossover of girls to boys sports, not the other way around.

-Dapper

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10262/1088700-364.stm

A group of boys at a high school in Greensburg are carrying sticks these days, running around on a "pitch" and actually wearing skirts in public. That's what field hockey players do.

Introducing Dom Antonucci, Ryan McHugh, Eric Lewis, Tyler Hillman and Ben Kerestan -- all members of the Greensburg Central Catholic girls' field hockey team.

And you thought "Five Guys" was just a restaurant name?

It is not unheard of to see a boy playing field hockey in the WPIAL. It has happened numerous times over the past few decades at different schools. But five on one team? That is unheard of in the WPIAL, and is not being met with open arms around girls' field hockey circles.

Greensburg Central Catholic coach Molly Reese said the boys are playing because the team didn't have enough girls players. The squad has 16 players (11 play at a time).

But McHugh said he came out to keep in shape for boys' lacrosse season in the spring. Antonucci said he is playing "just to do it. It's just something you don't see, five guys on one team. Maybe it will be more guys interested in playing."

Greensburg Central Catholic is 3-0 this season after defeating Vincentian, 2-0, Thursday at Vincentian's pitch (field). The boys are making a major difference. McHugh has seven goals. He and Antonucci dominated play against Vincentian -- essentially because they were bigger, stronger, faster and quicker than anyone else. McHugh is 5 feet 8, 170 pounds, and Antonucci 5-7, 165.

The boys wear the same uniform as the girls -- all the way down to the skirts.

"I'll be honest, I don't think it's fair at all to have that many boys playing at one time," said Vincentian coach Lauren Dorsch. "Aside from fairness, I don't think it's safe. I have three girls out right now with concussions [before the Greensburg C.C. game]. Head injuries are prevalent in field hockey and I just don't think boys at this age should be playing against the girls."

This is the first season the "Five Guys" have played field hockey at Greensburg Central Catholic, although Antonucci did play two years ago for Greensburg Salem. Dorsch believes Greensburg Central is now one of the top contenders to win a WPIAL championship -- because of the boys.

Lewis plays goalie for Greensburg Central. Three of the other boys were always on the field against Vincentian. A few girls saw little playing time.

"Our girls didn't think it was fair, either," Dorsch said. "These aren't wimpy boys. They're strong boys. I mean, where do you draw the line? Is this a coed sport now? Are you going to be allowed to have 10 boys and one girl playing?"

Contrary to popular belief, there are no rules in Pennsylvania high school athletics to prevent gender crossing in sports, ever since a 1975 Commonwealth Court issued a permanent injunction directing the PIAA to permit girls to practice and play interscholastic sports with boys.

But it also works the opposite way. Boys can play any girls sport. For example, a boy could play girls' basketball, even if the school has a boys' basketball team.

Individual school districts, however, can come up with their own rules concerning gender crossing in sports, and a few have in eastern Pennsylvania. Four years ago, the WPIAL urged school districts to come up with their own rules.

"We asked districts to consider adopting a policy, so that these types of situations [like Greensburg Central Catholic field hockey] do not occur," said WPIAL executive director Tim O'Malley. "But that's a philosophy the school district needs to develop, based on what their solicitor advises them to do."

Reese said her girls' players have totally accepted the five boys and she defends the idea of boys playing on the team.

"We've played against boys before when we've had an all-girls team, and we've won," said Reese, in her fourth season. "We're playing by the same rules as everyone else."

McHugh and Antonucci also play hockey and lacrosse.

"On our hockey team, girls are welcome to play, and our lacrosse team had a girl a few years ago," McHugh said. "Girls can play guys' sports, and our school doesn't have a men's field hockey team, so ... We're not doing it as a joke. If we were joking, we wouldn't go to practice five days a week for two hours a day."

Antonucci said, "I understand that this used to be a girls' sport. But over in India, it's a guys' sport. Pretty much in every other country, guys play. So why can't we play over here?"

Mike White: mwhite@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1975.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10262...#ixzz1EbHFr8pm

Chancie · 02-21-2011, 07:40 AM

In the last eight years, there have been several boys who've played field hockey at the public high school where I teach, including a female bodied young person who identifies as transgender and currently uses feminine pronouns. They have all worn the same skirt as the girls, but I think they wear heftier shorts underneath than the girls.

DapperButch · 02-21-2011, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chancie

In the last eight years, there have been several boys who've played field hockey at the public high school where I teach, including a female bodied young person who identifies as transgender and currently uses feminine pronouns. They have all worn the same skirt as the girls, but I think they wear heftier shorts underneath than the girls.

I think that it is pretty neat that they are in keeping with the uniform.

I am curious...has there been any issues in your school district around boys being on the team and either taking time away from the girls being able to play, or issues with where a school may complain about the boys being "stronger", "faster" or it being "unsafe" for the girls (as the one coach said in this article?).

Martina · 02-21-2011, 11:27 AM

God, i am not for any sport that causes that many concussions. And then to add physically superior guys. Just cringing for the worried mothers.

Well it is a sport guys don't have. So that is an argument for their participation. i would object if boys who didn't make the boy's basketball team took over the girls, for example.

i would also not like it if there were girls who wanted to play who couldn't because of the guys. Not the case here, clearly.

i guess i am not sure what i think.

Chancie · 02-21-2011, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SartorialButch

I think that it is pretty neat that they are in keeping with the uniform.

I am curious...has there been any issues in your school district around boys being on the team and either taking time away from the girls being able to play, or issues with where a school may complain about the boys being "stronger", "faster" or it being "unsafe" for the girls (as the one coach said in this article?).

Nope, but I went to a single sex public school and there were a lot of frustrated parents and teachers when the math teams and math classes were dominated by male students when the school went coed.

betenoire · 02-21-2011, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DapperButch

[COLOR="Red"]Lewis plays goalie for Greensburg Central. Three of the other boys were always on the field against Vincentian. A few girls saw little playing time.

And -this- would be where I have a problem.

02-21-2011, 07:32 AM	#1
DapperButch Roadster Guy How Do You Identify?: FTM, Stone Butch Preferred Pronoun?: He Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Northeast Posts: 7,745 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 26,545 Thanked 26,814 Times in 5,772 Posts Rep Power: 21474858	Boys play on girls field hockey team I thought folks may have an interest in discussing the below. Boys choosing to play on a girls team as there is no boys field hockey. They even wear the same uniform, which includes skirts. If this is a repost, my apologies (It was originally written in September 2010, but someone just sent it to me via email). I thought it interesting enough to share, as we mostly look at the crossover of girls to boys sports, not the other way around. -Dapper http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10262/1088700-364.stm A group of boys at a high school in Greensburg are carrying sticks these days, running around on a "pitch" and actually wearing skirts in public. That's what field hockey players do. Introducing Dom Antonucci, Ryan McHugh, Eric Lewis, Tyler Hillman and Ben Kerestan -- all members of the Greensburg Central Catholic girls' field hockey team. And you thought "Five Guys" was just a restaurant name? It is not unheard of to see a boy playing field hockey in the WPIAL. It has happened numerous times over the past few decades at different schools. But five on one team? That is unheard of in the WPIAL, and is not being met with open arms around girls' field hockey circles. Greensburg Central Catholic coach Molly Reese said the boys are playing because the team didn't have enough girls players. The squad has 16 players (11 play at a time). But McHugh said he came out to keep in shape for boys' lacrosse season in the spring. Antonucci said he is playing "just to do it. It's just something you don't see, five guys on one team. Maybe it will be more guys interested in playing." Greensburg Central Catholic is 3-0 this season after defeating Vincentian, 2-0, Thursday at Vincentian's pitch (field). The boys are making a major difference. McHugh has seven goals. He and Antonucci dominated play against Vincentian -- essentially because they were bigger, stronger, faster and quicker than anyone else. McHugh is 5 feet 8, 170 pounds, and Antonucci 5-7, 165. The boys wear the same uniform as the girls -- all the way down to the skirts. "I'll be honest, I don't think it's fair at all to have that many boys playing at one time," said Vincentian coach Lauren Dorsch. "Aside from fairness, I don't think it's safe. I have three girls out right now with concussions [before the Greensburg C.C. game]. Head injuries are prevalent in field hockey and I just don't think boys at this age should be playing against the girls." This is the first season the "Five Guys" have played field hockey at Greensburg Central Catholic, although Antonucci did play two years ago for Greensburg Salem. Dorsch believes Greensburg Central is now one of the top contenders to win a WPIAL championship -- because of the boys. Lewis plays goalie for Greensburg Central. Three of the other boys were always on the field against Vincentian. A few girls saw little playing time. "Our girls didn't think it was fair, either," Dorsch said. "These aren't wimpy boys. They're strong boys. I mean, where do you draw the line? Is this a coed sport now? Are you going to be allowed to have 10 boys and one girl playing?" Contrary to popular belief, there are no rules in Pennsylvania high school athletics to prevent gender crossing in sports, ever since a 1975 Commonwealth Court issued a permanent injunction directing the PIAA to permit girls to practice and play interscholastic sports with boys. But it also works the opposite way. Boys can play any girls sport. For example, a boy could play girls' basketball, even if the school has a boys' basketball team. Individual school districts, however, can come up with their own rules concerning gender crossing in sports, and a few have in eastern Pennsylvania. Four years ago, the WPIAL urged school districts to come up with their own rules. "We asked districts to consider adopting a policy, so that these types of situations [like Greensburg Central Catholic field hockey] do not occur," said WPIAL executive director Tim O'Malley. "But that's a philosophy the school district needs to develop, based on what their solicitor advises them to do." Reese said her girls' players have totally accepted the five boys and she defends the idea of boys playing on the team. "We've played against boys before when we've had an all-girls team, and we've won," said Reese, in her fourth season. "We're playing by the same rules as everyone else." McHugh and Antonucci also play hockey and lacrosse. "On our hockey team, girls are welcome to play, and our lacrosse team had a girl a few years ago," McHugh said. "Girls can play guys' sports, and our school doesn't have a men's field hockey team, so ... We're not doing it as a joke. If we were joking, we wouldn't go to practice five days a week for two hours a day." Antonucci said, "I understand that this used to be a girls' sport. But over in India, it's a guys' sport. Pretty much in every other country, guys play. So why can't we play over here?" Mike White: mwhite@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1975. Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10262...#ixzz1EbHFr8pm __________________ -Dapper Are you educated or indoctrinated?

02-21-2011, 07:40 AM	#2
Chancie Senior Member How Do You Identify?: queer femme-inist Relationship Status: I'm lucky. Join Date: May 2010 Location: Western Mass Posts: 3,774 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,518 Thanked 14,540 Times in 2,744 Posts Rep Power: 21474855	In the last eight years, there have been several boys who've played field hockey at the public high school where I teach, including a female bodied young person who identifies as transgender and currently uses feminine pronouns. They have all worn the same skirt as the girls, but I think they wear heftier shorts underneath than the girls.

02-21-2011, 11:27 AM	#4
Martina Senior Member How Do You Identify?: * Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: * Posts: 4,999 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 13,409 Thanked 18,286 Times in 4,167 Posts Rep Power: 21474854	God, i am not for any sport that causes that many concussions. And then to add physically superior guys. Just cringing for the worried mothers. Well it is a sport guys don't have. So that is an argument for their participation. i would object if boys who didn't make the boy's basketball team took over the girls, for example. i would also not like it if there were girls who wanted to play who couldn't because of the guys. Not the case here, clearly. i guess i am not sure what i think.