Massachusetts High School Forfeits Field Hockey Game Due to Biological Male Athletes on Opponent's Team

The school district's decision follows an incident last year in which a girl was hospitalized after being hit in the face by a shot from a biological male player from the opposing team.

A Massachusetts high school has decided to forfeit a girls' field hockey game scheduled for September 17th against Somerset Berkley Regional High School due to the presence of biological male players on the opposing team's roster. The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District announced the decision on Tuesday, citing safety concerns and the recent incident in which a girl on the team suffered "significant facial and dental injuries" requiring hospitalization after being hit in the face by a shot from a biological male player from another school last year.

The decision to forfeit was made after coaches and team captains convened to discuss the matter, considering the recent implementation of a policy allowing players or coaches to opt out of any games or competitions against an opposing team that includes a member of the opposite sex.

Massachusetts High School Forfeits Field Hockey Game Due to Biological Male Athletes on Opponent's Team

In a statement released to the media, the school district explained that the decision aligns with the School Committee Policy JJIB – Interscholastic Athletics, which was updated and approved by the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School Committee on June 25, 2024.

"Our Field Hockey coaches and captains made this decision, and we notified our opponent accordingly," the statement read. "The District supports this decision as there are times where we have to place a higher value on safety than on victory."

Massachusetts High School Forfeits Field Hockey Game Due to Biological Male Athletes on Opponent's Team

The school district acknowledged that forfeiting the game would impact the team's chances of winning a league championship and possibly qualifying for the playoffs but expressed the hope that other schools would consider following suit to ensure the safety and promote fair competition for female athletes.

The coaches and captains' decision was also influenced by the incident last year during a game between Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School and Swampscott High School, which resulted in a girl on the team sustaining "significant facial and dental injuries" requiring hospitalization after being hit in the face by a shot from a biological male player on the opposing team.

This incident prompted field hockey captain Kelsey Bain to write a letter to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA), calling on the organization to change its policy in the wake of the incident. Bain expressed concerns about the safety of female athletes and the potential for further injuries if biological male players continued to participate in girls' sports.

In her letter, Bain cited an article reporting that 41 boys played on girls' field hockey teams during the 2019-20 school year and argued that the MIAA should explore the possibility of creating co-op teams to provide opportunities for male athletes to participate in their own divisions.

The MIAA responded to the incident and Bain's concerns by acknowledging the safety concerns but maintaining that inclusion takes precedence. However, Bain criticized the MIAA's statement, arguing that student safety should be a primary consideration and that the organization should not rely on girls as "statistical data points" before taking action.

The school district's decision to forfeit the field hockey game highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the safety and fairness of biological male athletes participating in girls' sports. The issue of transgender students in sports has generated significant discussion and controversy, with safety, fairness, and inclusion often clashing as schools and athletic associations grapple with how to handle the issue.