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Can a girl legally play on the girls baseball team in our school in NJ. We have a Freshman team in Old Tappan Regional High School and we are a Freshman Team that has been winning. I was told under Title 9 of The league rules that as long as there is a comprable sport such as girls softball which there is that the girls are not allowed to play with the boys ...Is this true? Does anyone know if this is an actual Rule and if it holds water at least here in NEW jERSEY?
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If she's good enough to make the team, can handle everything involved with being a girl in a boys sport and doesn't seek preferential treatment, who shouldn't she play?

Personally, I think she should be playing softball. She's at her physical growth peak while boys are still growing and filling out. If she's good enough to make the baseball team I'll bet she would be dominating in softball. But it's her choice and if she's good enough to make the team, so be it.

Don't anybody suggest she'll hear stuff on the bench from the boys she hasn't heard before. I've coached travel softball. The girls talk would make the boys blush.

Was your kid cut? Were you cut? Or are you afraid a girl might be better than you or your son (right now anyway)?
Last edited by RJM
i had 3 girls play LL baseball for me and they did fine, good athletes.but if they have a high school softball team they should not be allowed to play baseball,unless the boys can play softball.

i don't care how good the girls are. it is a matter of fairness to all involved. woman fought to have equality in athletics and they now have parody. our only d1 state university had to cut 3 mens sports to be equal with woman (title 9) and one they chose was baseball. i'm still a little bitter, can you tell?
"league of it Own"

Yesterday, I was requested to speak to a group of 13-14 year old baseball players regarding our annual trip to Australia.

One of the players was a 13 year old girl. I watched her swing and then suggested that she wrap the follow through across her back. On the next swing she practiced my suggestion and her "back swing" her her head. Next time I will have her wear a helmet. She has a good swing and I encourage her to continue to play, since I played
in 1956 against a "barnstorming" team of "All Stars" from the Women's Professional League.

This was in the famous Basin League in Nebraska and South Dakota. We played a two game series and switch our pitcher and catcher with their team and split the gate receipts.

Yes, I will encourage this young lady to continue
her dream.

Bob Williams
<rwilliams@goodwillseries.org>
My son played against a girl on a local travel team during his 13/14U seasons. She was OK, not great but OK, middle of team level. She made the HS Freshmen team, does not play a lot but plays some, has pitched. She apparently went out for the Softball team and "this is not baseball" and left.

She is D1 Softball material and my guess is next year she will start to play Softball, so she can play more and also in College.
quote:
it is likely more awkward for the boys on the team.
When my son was middle school age one of the girls played travel basketball for another team. She played point she was so good. My son covered the point. He told her (a friend too) he would knock her down just like any other player if the situation came up. He did and she scrapped back. She started girl's varsity as a high school freshman. At summer camp they pair up and win the co-ed two on two every year.
A girl played on my son's football team this year. It is one of the best football programs in the state, and she decided she wanted to be a part of it. She did what it required - all the practices, all the training, daily doubles, etc.

There is no cut in football at our school, so she was on the team as long as she would go to the practices.

She was tolerated by the boys. Accepted might be too strong of a word. It was obvious that she couldn't compete at any position, but she was treated like any other player who wasn't big enough, strong enough or talented enough to have a significant role.

I can't say the boys were thrilled to have her on the team. It wasn't as if her presence itself was a problem, but there were times when she dogged it, knowing she couldn't compete. At least on one occasion my son confronted her and told her that she had to step it up, that her lack of effort had an impact on her teammates.

The coaching staff was great - they treated her exactly as they did any other player.

My son resented her to an extent, because he saw her going through the motions. In his opinion, she was just doing the minimum so she could say she was on the football team and get all the attention for being a girl on the state's #1 ranked team.

It wasn't personal for him - he remains friendly with her. But he smelled an agenda of sorts that had not much to do with playing football and helping the team.

I know this: any girl who could compete, my son would respect as he does any teammate. The simple fact is, in competitive (larger) high school athletics there is simply no way that a girl can compete.

Maybe one in 50,000 in baseball. In football, even less of a chance.
quote:
Yes, I will encourage this young lady to continue
her dream.


Thank you Bob!! We need more of you in this world!!!

For those who say that softball is a satisfactory equivalant choice for a girl to play instead of baseball, I sincerely beg to differ.

Softball and baseball are two entirely different sports.
My neice plays softball for UC Davis. Its a great sport,...but if a person wants to play golf, do you suggest to them they go play water polo?


Rob,
quote:
The simple fact is, in competitive (larger) high school athletics there is simply no way that a girl can compete.

That's a broad brush you are painting with, mistah!! Mad
As the Lion in Wizard of Oz so famously said, " Put em' up, put em' uuuup!!! "

Our HS girls (6A-largest League in Kansas ) s****r team can beat the snot ( for lack of a better word ) out of our HS boys 6A s****r team any day, any time,...blind folded, with chocolate sprinkles and a banana on top!!
The boys know it.
Our girls rock....I must say, they really do!

My 8th grade daughter just out ran the 9th grade highschool boys at their track meet and her girls relay 4x1 & 4x2 team beat the boys relay teams.
How bout' them apples? Cool


My daughter wants to play competitive baseball. Not necessarily on the boys team, but on a girl's baseball team. There are none.
That creates a problem. Roll Eyes
I wish she had the option available to her and to so many other girls that want to play.
Can you blame them?
Last edited by shortstopmom
What upsets me is that a boy cannot go out for softball but a girl can go out for baseball---this is parity and being equal---BS---I would like to know what the school insurance people say about a HS girl on the football team ??

Isnt this why they call it mens baseball and womens softball?

I think the ship of equality has gone over the falls
quote:
Originally posted by gotwood4sale:
.

These are young men in Britain playing field hockey...I guess the bloomers and skirt are not necessary to play the game.




.
Field Hockey is a mens sport in Europe. Two of the three boys playing high school field hockey in our state came from Europe. There was the obvious court battle over them playing. It was ruled they could play. Our state athletic association said OK, but they will following the state guidelines on uniforms. Since field hockey is a girls sport here, it's bloomers and skirts.

I saw the kid I know play against our high school. If I was the dad I'd be embarassed watching my kid dressed that way to play. His dad doesn't go to the games. He's busy coaching football.
shortstopmom

In our region it has never happened---I even recall a male gymnast who moved into a school district that did not have a male gymnastic program---he was not allowed to try out for the girls team

But then why have separate teams if not for separating the sexes

And there is NO EQUALITY for both sexes---the ladies have all the advantages---college sports created for women to meet the requirements and the girls on the team never even played the sport--but they get a team and a scholaship
Last edited by TRhit
quote:
the ladies have all the advantages


Well Archie, how about the glass ceiling? How about date rape? How about men never looking above your chest? How about cramps, PMS and periods? How about having to fit into a size two? How about heels? How about bras? How about getting your PHD, and then having kids? How about having to clean your dirty underwear?

I believe in Title IX, women should have the same and equal athletic/academic scholarship opportunities as men.

Women are the true humans..they love, nurture and support mankind.

I still open doors, stand when they come into a room, offer my seat on a bus or my jacket when its cold. I may sound old fashion, but the chicks love the long ball and a true gentleman.
Last edited by Bullwinkle
quote:
I believe in Title IX, women should have the same and equal athletic/academic scholarship opportunities as men.
I agree. But it should be athletic opportunities for athletes. Colleges should not be creating teams and handing out athletic scholarships just to have the team. This has been done at many colleges to meet Title IX. A neighbor's daughter is on a ride for rowing because the college wasn't meeting Title IX. She never rowed before college. She was grabbed off the sidewalks of the campus. She couldn't row for a decent prep school squad. But she's getting a college scholarship to row to keep a college out of legal trouble.
bullwinkle

We are talking sports here not manners and deportmant---I too open doors for ladies---I too respect where ladies are at---my wife in fact played fast pitch softball for nearly 20 years and is a true lady---BUT SHE NEVER ASKED TO PLAY ON A MENS TEAM nor did she ask a college to eliminate mens sports so they could have a womens crew team ot hand ball team at the expense of mens baseball or other sports


By the way the ARCHIE remark is not appreciated

Bottom line: God created baseball for men
Last edited by TRhit
Sorry, SSMom, I can't fight with you. I don't hit girls!

But I do stand by my statement. I have never once seen a single female who could compete on a competitive high school football team. If there is an exception somewhere, then it is an exception that proves the rule.

8th grade girls/9th grade boys in track is not the same thing. Are the girls 11th grade girls outrunning the boys?

And if your girls s****r teams can beat the boys, I'll lay odds that it's because the best athletes are playing other sports.
quote:
But I do stand by my statement. I have never once seen a single female who could compete on a competitive high school football team. If there is an exception somewhere, then it is an exception that proves the rule.


How about a D1 football team Rob?


"The simple fact is, in competitive (larger) high school athletics there is simply no way that a girl can compete."

Rules like that are made to be broken.
Last edited by spizzlepop
TR,
I know but that was the first association I made, and it took me until crude's post to get it. Slow today.

Surprisingly enough some talented people will rise above the schlock to produce good stuff. The Monkees actually made some decent music despite their origin and some members with let's say limited talent.
Last edited by CADad
quote:
Originally posted by CADad:
The Monkees actually made some decent music despite their origin and some members with let's say limited talent.

HEADQUARTERS was one of the best albums EVER!


I have a neighbor who was an excellent hs softball player who was recruited when she was a freshman in college to join the crew team--never having rowed EVER--I don't think she got a "full ride" but she got significant money. This is at a large southern D1 university.....

As the mother of boys, I feel slighted. However, I hope that the money stream for female athletes doesn't dry up by the time my daughters enter college.....
Last edited by play baseball
Orlando,
That's pretty low especially so soon after Jackie Robinson Day. There's no difference between the races, but there is a large difference between men and women when it comes to most sports. Let's leave equality for men and women where there is no difference such as most jobs, running countries, etc.

If there's a young woman who projects to be good enough to help the varsity team by the time she's a senior then by all means let her go out for the freshman team. Good luck finding her.
Last edited by CADad
Exactly the arguements when baseball was segregated. "There's a difference."

This is an annual discussion; last year it was about a young woman on a college baseball team. Then Title IX gets inserted into the discussion. Usually with anecdotal "evidence" of how women's scholarships are ruining it for the guys.

This is a baseball site, so, I would imagine, we all have sons. I don't see how the occasional daughter playing ball is of concern, but I do get my back up when female athletes are dismissed (the annual rowing team comment, for example), or excluded. What's the point?

When my son was in hs, I coached with his AAU team. I ran out to coach 1st and the home umpire (black guy I'd known for years) asked me what I was doing out there and I replied I was coaching first. He said something to the effect that 'we don't have ladies on the field'; I allowed as it wasn't so many years ago he wouldn't have been allowed on the field either. Good man, he laughed and said 'you're right; have a good game'.

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