Youth basketball team forfeits rather than play without girl teammates

[Tennis]

CLARK, N.J. — Parents raise their children hoping they will grow to stand up for what is right, and players on a fifth-grade coed basketball team in New Jersey made their parents proud this past weekend.

Teammates decided unanimously they would rather forfeit the rest of their season than continue playing without the girls who were part of the team.

Many of the players on the St. John the Apostle Parish School team had been playing together since second grade, and this season the squad was comprised of nine boys and two girls.

The coed team had played 10 games so far this season with no one raising an issue about league regulations on age and gender.

Two weeks ago, league officials said the team had to forfeit those first 10 games, citing league rules that they should never have played as a coed team, according to Matthew Dohn, a parent whose son plays on the team.

Though coed teams are allowed in the Catholic Youth Organization league until fourth grade, the team of fifth-graders now falls under middle school rules that prohibit coed teams, James Goodness, spokesman for the archdiocese of Newark told CNN.

Dohn claimed these rules were not clearly posted anywhere. The league’s director could not be immediately reached for comment.

The St. John’s Chargers were sitting in third place in their division going into Friday night’s game and would still have been allowed to compete in the league playoffs, but only if the girls did not play, the parent said.

League referees and St. John’s opponents were waiting to start the game, and the team’s coaches and parents asked the players what they wanted to do.

“Show of hands, play as a team?” the players were asked.

All 11 Chargers players raised their hands, Dohn said. A coach then reminded the team that they would not be allowed to compete in the playoffs if they stayed as a team and they would forfeit the rest of the season.

“It doesn’t matter,” one player replied, according to Dohn.

“I was filled with emotion and joy,” Dohn told CNN.

“They’re only kids but they know what’s important.”

http://wgntv.com/2017/02/14/youth-ba...irl-teammates/

What would you do if you were on this team? What if you were a parent?

Do you think this team should have to follow the rules?

[Deleted]

The article is lacking the most important part and that is the actual ruleset.

If there is actually no rule against gender and age then good for them.
However if there is shame on them for wasting everybodys time and cheating.

[Trifle]

The article is lacking the most important part and that is the actual ruleset.

If there is actually no rule against gender and age then good for them.
However if there is shame on them for wasting everybodys time and cheating.

It's actually in the article, apparently you didn't read it. It's even in the sentences in bold in the OP!

There was a difference in rules between 4th and 5th grades which they didn't notice (claimed the information wasn't readily available) and noone called them up on for most of the season. It wasn't so much that they were cheating, as they just weren't aware.

[Deleted]

It's actually in the article, apparently you didn't read it. It's even in the sentences in bold in the OP!

There was a difference in rules between 4th and 5th grades which they didn't notice (claimed the information wasn't readily available) and noone called them up on for most of the season. It wasn't so much that they were cheating, as they just weren't aware.

Then it is a very clear case.

Ignorantia juris non excusat
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignora...is_non_excusat

ignorance of law excuses no one

And that means that the team cheated and should be rightfully disqualified. I hope actions are taking against them.
They wasted everybodies time. Disgusting

[Enthusiastic Steward]

However if there is shame on them for wasting everybodys time and cheating.

They were unaware that they now fell under a different rule set, as said rule set was not readily available.
They have already played 10 games without anyone else noticing either.
They did not INTENTIONALLY waste anybody's time, so why shame on them?
How are they cheating by simply doing the exact same thing they have always done? They're not going out of their way to try and create an unfair advantage.

[Deleted]

They were unaware that they now fell under a different rule set, as said rule set was not readily available.
They have already played 10 games without anyone else noticing either.
How are they cheating?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignora...is_non_excusat

[Orlong]

They lose either way. Girls dont have the muscular structure to be as strong as the boys. They wouldve lost every game anyway. Girls should play with the other girls, and boys should play with the other boys as its been since sports were invented

[Boreaz]

I'm really impressed by how fast this thread went to shit, bravo.

[Snorkles]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignora...is_non_excusat

It's a fifth grade Basketball team not a murder trial.

[Deleted]

It's a fifth grade Basketball team not a murder trial.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equality_before_the_law

[Gemini Soul]

Good of them for standing up as a team for their team mates, but rules are rules.

[darkwarrior42]

Then it is a very clear case.

Ignorantia juris non excusat
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignora...is_non_excusat

ignorance of law excuses no one

And that means that the team cheated and should be rightfully disqualified. I hope actions are taking against them.
They wasted everybodies time. Disgusting

1) Nobody is arguing that the rules aren't exactly what they are. People are praising the team for, when the discrepancy came to light, choosing to forfeit rather than abandon their teammates. That you clearly don't think that's worthy of praise says quite a lot about you.

2) They played 10 teams without anybody noticing. Clearly, if this is an official rule, it's not one that many people particularly care about. I don't know how many teams are in the league, but that means they played against at least a few other teams, who either didn't notice anything wrong or who noticed and chose not to say anything.

3) There are many possible justifications for not doing coed teams starting in middle school, but how exactly are they gaining anything from this? I fully acknowledge they were in violation of the rules, but there was no advantage gained. If you believe that men and women should have different teams and different sports to acknowledge physical differences in the genders, the most obvious argument would be that their team was at a disadvantage for having 2 girls, though I don't believe that was actually the case.

4) To reiterate this point, since you clearly didn't actually read the article at all, they were disqualified. And again, they played 10 games without anyone noticing "hey, they have 2 girls on their team, and that's not allowed. That alone adds some merit to their contention that the rules were not readily available.

[Edge-]

One day we'll let minor local issues remain minor local issues.

One day.

[Tennis]

They lose either way. Girls dont have the muscular structure to be as strong as the boys. They wouldve lost every game anyway. Girls should play with the other girls, and boys should play with the other boys as its been since sports were invented

It does make sense for girls to play with girls. I thought that's how it worked.
This team ended up getting honoured during the Knicks game for "making a stand".

[Deleted]

1) Nobody is arguing that the rules aren't exactly what they are. People are praising the team for, when the discrepancy came to light, choosing to forfeit rather than abandon their teammates. That you clearly don't think that's worthy of praise says quite a lot about you.

2) They played 10 teams without anybody noticing. Clearly, if this is an official rule, it's not one that many people particularly care about. I don't know how many teams are in the league, but that means they played against at least a few other teams, who either didn't notice anything wrong or who noticed and chose not to say anything.

3) There are many possible justifications for not doing coed teams starting in middle school, but how exactly are they gaining anything from this? I fully acknowledge they were in violation of the rules, but there was no advantage gained. If you believe that men and women should have different teams and different sports to acknowledge physical differences in the genders, the most obvious argument would be that their team was at a disadvantage for having 2 girls, though I don't believe that was actually the case.

4) To reiterate this point, since you clearly didn't actually read the article at all, they were disqualified. And again, they played 10 games without anyone noticing "hey, they have 2 girls on their team, and that's not allowed. That alone adds some merit to their contention that the rules were not readily available.

Thank god.
Justice wins again.

[darkwarrior42]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equality_before_the_law

Yes, we are all fully aware that you do not care at all that this fifth grade team was willing to forfeit the rest of the season in a show of camaraderie for the teammates they didn't know weren't supposed to be playing with them, and are far more concerned with making sure these horrible people are punished for breaking the rules.

Don't worry, they forfeited the games they won and aren't in the playoffs. You may rest well knowing that these terrible examples of children have been properly punished.

[Yuujin]

Then it is a very clear case.

Ignorantia juris non excusat
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignora...is_non_excusat

ignorance of law excuses no one

And that means that the team cheated and should be rightfully disqualified. I hope actions are taking against them.
They wasted everybodies time. Disgusting

You're confusing rules with laws. I can understand your confusion.

[Deleted]

That's great that they did that. But girls in their team should still not be able to play. They should be aware that they can't bend rules however they want.

So, did they do it because they don't want to play without them, or just as a pity protest?

[Jonnusthegreat]

9 year old competitions definitely should follow every rule TO A TEE.

[Rasulis]

They lose either way. Girls dont have the muscular structure to be as strong as the boys. They wouldve lost every game anyway. Girls should play with the other girls, and boys should play with the other boys as its been since sports were invented

They were in third place in their division.