Baseball forfeited because second baseman was a girl?

[teko]

The Arizona Charter Athletic Association state championship baseball game wasn't played Thursday night because Mesa Prep's second baseman is a girl.

Paige Sultzbach, a freshman, is playing baseball because her high school doesn't offer girls softball. But the school Mesa Prep was to face in the final, Our Lady of Sorrows Academy, said its boys would not compete against a team with a girl and forfeited the game - and the state title - to Mesa Prep.

"As a Catholic school, we promote the ideal of forming and educating boys and girls separately during the adolescent years, especially in physical education,” Our Lady of Sorrows said in a statement, according to CNN affiliate KTVK.


“It takes tremendous moral courage to stand by what it is you believe, and they are doing what they think is right,” Mesa Prep Headmaster Robert Wagner told KTVK.

But Sultzbach's mother, Pamela Sultzbach, said her daughter and the Mesa Prep team were being done a disservice.

"This is not a contact sport. It shouldn't be an issue. It wasn't that they were afraid they were going to hurt or injure her, it's that (they believe) that a girl's place is not on a field," Pamela Sultzbach told the Arizona Republic.

"I respect their views, but it's a bit out of the 18th century," Amy Arnold, Mesa Prep's athletic director, told the Republic.


Mesa Prep and Our Lady of Sorrows played twice during the regular season, but Sultzbach sat out, as they were away games for her team.

“It was on their field, and I felt the need to respect their rules,” she told KTVK.

The final would have been on a neutral field, and Sultzbach wanted to play.

Now, despite being hailed as state champions, Mesa Prep will feel like they've missed something, Pamela Sultzbach said.

"This team has worked so hard," she said. "They're undefeated. They had one game left. At our school, we're taught that when you start something, you complete it, and they weren't done."



http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/11/baseball-final-forfeited-because-of-girl-at-second-base/?hpt=us_r1

[teko]

Well Im not catholic but I do have siblings who are and I agree with you Amanda, tis a might ridiculous. I would hope that some of these organizations would take a step back and look at what they are doing to further the angst with organized religion. Its not good. And it certainly is not good in a time when we are raising our children to feel they are as equal as the next one. It feels like we are going backwards in time sometimes.

[brice1967]

We had a girl make the varsity football team here, as a lineman!  She was a big girl, and the coach told her that as long as she could compete and as long as she didn't get injured, she could be on the team.  He told her the same standards they used for the boys was applicable to her.

She played the majority of a year and an injury ended her career.

We personally know this girls parents.  The father said that he was scared for her health, but this is something that his daughter wanted to try and he supported it.  (I was not in objection.)  As we discussed it, he made a point... 'aren't you at least somewhat concerned that you son will get hurt playing football?".  I said I was and he finished the statement by saying, "I am too, but maybe only a little bit more".

The girl later admitted that she couldn't keep up with the constant hitting but was glad she gave it a try.  

Referring back to the original subject, if this girl can play and keep up with the boys, let her play!  Treat her like anyone else on the field.

[specialmom]

Oh brother, I hate when my fellow Catholic friends embarress our faith.  Yeesh.  Our city does have all girl schools and all boy schools but coed schools as well.  So, that statement about Catholic schools being all male and female irks me.  That isn't part of being Catholic.  

That they didn't want to play a girl is ridiculous and I'm so very very glad that their team had to give up the chance to the title.  They don't deserve it.