A recent high school basketball game in Massachusetts ended early because Collegiate Charter School of Lowell's Coach Kevin Ortins forfeited the game at halftime.
Tom Joyce, reporter for the NewBostonPost, thinks that was "the right decision." He says they were already down four players going into that game.
"I think they had eight healthy players, and this is a team that's going to have to play in the playoffs next week and the week after that," Joyce explains.
In the game against KIPP Academy, the boy allowed to play on the opposing girls' team injured three more Collegiate Charter players.
"There was this pretty gruesome one that was caused by the male player that went viral," Joyce details. "So, that puts you at five players left at halftime. You don't have a basketball team if you have to play another 16 minutes of basketball."
"Looks like it was a pretty routine play, fighting for the ball," the reporter notes. "It just shows how overpowering this athlete is compared to [the] girl players. And if you look at pictures of the roster and pictures of the team, the kid sticks out like a sore thumb. He's just that much bigger and muscular than anyone else on the team and anyone else on the court."
Fox News reports Collegiate Charter spokesperson Casey Crane released a statement indicating the school's approval of coach Kevin Ortins' decision to forfeit, as well as the remaining healthy girls' "concern" about continuing to play.
"This athlete was a lead all-star in volleyball this past fall, and this athlete is also one of the better athletes on the girls' track team," Joyce adds.
Because of a court interpretation of the Massachusetts equal rights amendment, Joyce says many athletes in the state are allowed to compete on sports teams designated for the opposite sex.
Section 43.3.1 of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association handbook states, "A student shall not be excluded from participation on a gender-specific sports team that is consistent with the student's bona fide gender identity."
"I think it's absolutely absurd to have guys over six feet tall competing with the girls," Joyce submits.
