Northeast
Massachusetts HS field hockey team refuses to play against school that has 'members of the opposite sex'
A Massachusetts high school is refusing to play another school’s girls’ field hockey team due to biological male players on its roster.
The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District released a statement to media members on Tuesday saying that they’re forfeiting the girls’ field hockey game against Somerset Berkley Regional High School.
The decision to forfeit, which came after coaches and team captains convened on the matter, comes after a new policy that was put in place allowing players and/or coaches to opt out of any games or competitions against an opposing team that “includes a member of the opposite sex.”
“In accordance with School Committee Police JJIB – Interscholastic Athletics, whose updates were approved by the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School Committee on June 25, 2024, the District has notified Somerset Berkley Regional High School that we will be forfeiting the Field Hockey contest scheduled for September 17,” the school district’s statement read.
An NCAA field hockey match between Iowa and Boston University, Sept. 2, 2022, at Grant Field in Iowa City, Iowa. (IMAGN)
“Our Field Hockey coaches and captains made this decision, and we notified our opponent accordingly,” the statement continued. “The District supports this decision as there are times where we have to place a higher value on safety than on victory. We understand this forfeit will impact our chances for a league championship and possibly playoff eligibility, but we remain hopeful that other schools consider following suit to achieve safety and promote fair competition for female athletes.”
This decision by the coaches and captains is also impacted by what occurred last year during a game between Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School and Swampscott High School.
HIGH SCHOOL FIELD HOCKEY CAPTAIN SPEAKS OUT AGAINST RULE ALLOWING BOYS ON GIRLS TEAMS AFTER HORRIFIC INJURY
A girl on Dighton-Rehoboth suffered “significant facial and dental injuries” that “required hospitalization” after being hit in the face by a shot from a biological male from Swampscott.
It led 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.
“There is likely more interest, but the stigma of boys playing on a girl’s team is probably a deterrent,” Bain wrote in the letter after previously writing the MIAA “needs to do better.”
“I am sure school districts can institute co-op teams to create further opportunities for males to play in their own division, which I assume you are already aware of because, under rule 34 of the MIAA handbook, there is a division for boys’ field hockey listed under the Fall Sports category.
“You have a chance to change the negative publicity the MIAA has been receiving due to the incident that happened on Thursday night by moving forward with the proposal for a seven versus seven boys league.”
Bain also cited an article from the New Boston Post, which reported 41 boys playing on girls’ field hockey teams during the 2019-20 school year.
“Following the injury, my teammates were sobbing not only in fear for their teammate but also in fear that they had to go back out onto the field and continue a game, playing against a male athlete who hospitalized one of our own. The traumatic event sheds light on the rules and regulations of male athletes participating in women’s sports.”
The MIAA released a statement at the time saying it does “understand” safety concerns, but inclusion trumps them.
“We respect and understand the complexity and concerns that exist regarding student safety. However, student safety has not been a successful defense to excluding students of one gender from participating on teams of the opposite gender,” the MIAA said in a statement. “The arguments generally fail due to the lack of correlation between injuries and mixed-gender teams.”
Bain had a response to the MIAA’s statement.
The MIAA said it does “understand” safety concerns, but inclusion trumps them. (IMAGN)
“We all witnessed the substantial damage that a male has the ability to cause against a female during a game,” Bain wrote. “How much longer does the MIAA plan on using girls as statistical data points before they realize that boys do not belong in girls’ sports? Twenty injuries? One hundred? Death?”
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Read the full article from Here
Bronx | 305 East 140th Street, No. 5A
Mott Haven Loft
$1.35 million
A two-bedroom, one-bath, 1,981-square-foot condo with an open floor plan, bamboo and granite countertops, a den/home office, original hardwood floors and a basement storage cage. The unit is on the top floor of a five-story former factory from 1901 that has a virtual intercom, a super, shared laundry and a bike room. Tano Holmes and Victor Banks, Century 21; century21.com
Costs
Common charges: $1,456 a month
Taxes: $9,240 a year
Pro
In-unit washer/dryers are permitted and an area near the kitchen can accommodate a laundry room or second bathroom. The ceilings reach 12 feet. The building is eco-friendly and has solar panels to reduce electricity costs.
Cons
It’s a big space to cool with window unit air-conditioning.
Manhattan | 467 Central Park West, No. 12F
Manhattan Valley Condo
$1.75 million
A two-bedroom, two-bath, 1,152-square-foot apartment that has a windowed kitchen with a pass-through to a breakfast bar, an open floor plan, a primary suite, a second bedroom with a walk-in closet, a windowed bath, built-ins, a decorative fireplace and wide-plank oak floors. It’s on the 12th floor of a 17-story prewar doorman building that has a live-in superintendent, a bike room, shared laundry and a waiting list for extra storage. Jed Lewin, The Agency; theagencyre.com
Costs
Common charges: $1,350 a month
Taxes: $1,098 a month
Assessment: $374 a month through January 2028, for updates to the building’s exterior
Pros
The kitchen has two windows, a six-burner range and ample counter space. The view includes Central Park and Billionaire’s Row.
Cons
In-unit washer/dryers are not permitted.
Manhattan | 146 E 49th Street, No. 2B
Turtle Bay Co-op
$715,000
A two-bedroom, one-bath, roughly 940-square-foot apartment that has a windowed eat-in kitchen, an open living/dining area, a windowed bathroom and original hardwood floors. It’s on the second floor of a 10-story building by Emory Roth with a live-in super and shared laundry. Laura Cook and Adam Wolfe, Keller Williams NYC; kwnyc.com
Costs
Maintenance: $2,583 a month
Pros
Use as a pied-à-terre, subletting after two years of residency and an in-unit washer/dryer are permitted with board approval.
Cons
The view consists of only nearby buildings. The second bedroom does not have a closet. The building lacks a bike room and there’s a waiting list for basement storage cages.
Given the fast pace of the current market, some properties may no longer be available at the time of publication.
Although interim manager Chad Tracy planned to be aggressive with his bullpen in the series finale north of the border, Bello wasn’t able to escape the fourth inning as the Red Sox
-
New York19 minutes agoHomes for Sale in the Bronx and Manhattan
-
Detroit, MI49 minutes agoMailbag: Did Detroit Lions’ draft hint at defensive scheme changes?
-
San Francisco, CA1 hour agoSan Francisco bar hosts immersive
-
Dallas, TX1 hour agoDallas Captain Jamie Benn Fined By NHL For Cross-Checking
-
Miami, FL1 hour agoNonstop flights from U.S. to Venezuela resume Thursday at Miami International Airport for first time in seven years
-
Boston, MA1 hour agoBello's continued struggles compound Boston's thin rotation
-
Denver, CO1 hour agoTroubled apartments: Breaking down Denver’s distressed multifamily properties
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoStatus of Seattle Mariners’ Brendan Donovan, Bryce Miller – Seattle Sports