A Massachusetts high school student-athlete knocked out a tooth and suffered “significant facial” injuries when an opposing male player threw a field hockey puck at his face during a playoff game Thursday.
The horrific accident happened during a playoff game between Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School and Swampscott High School.
The male player, who attends Swampscott, was seen curling his stick to hit a shot over the net but it drilled an opposing female defender right in the face.
A loud ‘No’ was heard moments before the girl fell to the ground, screaming in pain.
The players on the field were visibly upset by the injury as Dighton-Rehoboth personnel rushed off the field to provide aid to the injured player.
“Last night, a female field hockey player for the Dighton Rehoboth Regional High School girls field hockey team suffered significant facial and dental injuries when she was hit in the face by a shot in the third quarter against Swampscott in the MIAA state playoffs,” Dighton Rehoboth Superintendent Bill Runey wrote in a letter obtained by WCVB.
It was reported that a male player (#2 for Swampscott) disfigured a female player’s teeth. Men are allowed to play on women’s teams in MA because of “equal treatment”
This is the city where the former NCAA president and governor, Charlie Baker, lived. Be careful to comment, @CharlieBakerMA ? pic.twitter.com/ahyGrzA2Ox
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) November 3, 2023
“This injury requires hospitalization. The player, his family, teammates and coach remain in my prayers.”
The female athlete is missing two teeth and her condition is unclear, according to the outlet.
The boy’s player is seen moments after unleashing his powerful shot, aiming for the net.X/Riley Gaines
“The shot was taken by a male member of the Swampscott girls field hockey team,” Runey stated in his letter to parents.
Following the horror on the field, Runey called for changes in Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) rules that have been in place since the 1970s.
The field hockey ball ended up hitting a girl in the face of the opposing team.X/Riley Gaines
“While I understand that the MIAA has guidelines for joint participation under section 43 of their handbook, this incident dramatically raises many concerns about player safety,” Runey wrote.
The MIAA states in its handbook that “no student shall be denied in any implied or explicit manner the opportunity to participate in any interscholastic activity because of sex.”
Schools can deny students to play a sport based on gender if the school “offers a girls’ team and a boys’ team” for the same sport, the association wrote in its rules.
But in cases where there is a “single team in a particular sport,” schools must allow students to participate “to ensure that the school’s gender-specific athletic opportunities comply with Title IX.”
The players on the field were visibly shaken by the gruesome injury.X/Riley Gaines
“For any male athlete participating in women’s sports, there are no restrictions. So I’m looking for the MIAA to facilitate some conversations to have a middle ground in terms of player safety,” Runey told the outlet.
He wrote that he understands the MIAA rules but believes they should be reviewed for the safety of players in co-ed competitions.
“Seeing the horror in the eyes of our players and coaches as they greeted their buses last night is evidence to me that there needs to be a new approach by the MIAA to protect the safety of our athletes,” Runey said in his letter.
Male players, who are not transgender, are allowed to play against women under Massachusetts state rules.X/Riley Gaines
Swampscott Public Schools Athletic Director Kelly Wolff confirmed the player who took the hit was a 4-year male varsity student and co-captain, according to the outlet.
Wolff is convinced that the male students “have the same right to participate as any player on any team.”
The MIAA also released a statement following the accident, writing the organization “stands in support of our 383 member schools and all student-athletes as we strive to create a welcoming, safe and inclusive atmosphere for all participants.”
The MIAA cited the Massachusetts Equal Rights Amendment – which has been the rule in scholastic sports in the state since 1979 – which discriminates on the basis of sex.
“Associations and member schools must comply with all federal and state laws to ensure equitable opportunities for students of different sexes or genders,” the statement obtained by WCVB said.
The organization said it “respects and understands” the safety concerns of male players playing against women, but “student safety” alone is not a “successful defense” to changing the rules.
“Student safety is not a successful defense for excluding students of one gender from joining teams of the opposite gender. The argument generally fails due to the lack of correlation between injuries and gender-mixed teams,” the MIAA wrote.
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
