Equality for all
It's about time. This is from the AP....
MHSAA Denied Certiorari By U.S. Supreme Court In Sports Seasons Litigation
The United States Supreme Court today denied a certiorari request by the Michigan High School Athletic Association in its Sports Seasons Litigation.
As a result of the Supreme Court’s decision, the previous changes in seasons ordered by lower courts will occur beginning with the 2007-08 school year: girls basketball will move from Fall to Winter; girls volleyball will move from Winter to Fall; boys golf and girls tennis in the Lower Peninsula will move from Fall to Spring; girls golf and boys tennis in the Lower Peninsula will move from Spring to Fall; and the MHSAA will offer Upper Peninsula post-season tournaments in soccer for girls in the Fall and boys in the Spring.
The MHSAA issued the following statement after the announcement: “The MHSAA is disappointed that the Supreme Court has decided against reviewing this case. Now is the time for our schools to step up and work with the decision of the Court to continue to maximize the quantity and quality of interscholastic athletic participation opportunities for young people in our state.”
“This is for all the young ladies in Michigan,” said Diane Madsen, a Grand Rapids mother and one of the original plaintiffs in the suit. “Some of them don’t even realize they are being discriminated against. But now they will have the same opportunities and the same benefits.”
The lawsuit sought to eliminate the practice in Michigan of scheduling the girls basketball season in the fall and the girls volleyball season in the winter. Because colleges and high schools in most other states flip-flop those two sports seasons, the suit said Michigan’s schedule limits the exposure of the state’s female prep athletes and hurts their chances of winning sports scholarships.
The MHSAA said the purpose of having some different athletic seasons for boys and girls is to maximize opportunities for participation.Michigan is the only state to play volleyball in the winter, and one of two to play girls basketball outside of winter. Hawaii girls play in the spring.
I think this is great. For far too long, Michigan female athletes have been discriminated against. And don't tell me that it wasn't....if the different seasons were fine just the way they were, then put the boys basketball in the fall and let the girls play in the winter.
What's that? Won't work you say....handicaps the boys and hurts their chances for a college scholarship...well, then, you just made my point.
MHSAA Denied Certiorari By U.S. Supreme Court In Sports Seasons Litigation
The United States Supreme Court today denied a certiorari request by the Michigan High School Athletic Association in its Sports Seasons Litigation.
As a result of the Supreme Court’s decision, the previous changes in seasons ordered by lower courts will occur beginning with the 2007-08 school year: girls basketball will move from Fall to Winter; girls volleyball will move from Winter to Fall; boys golf and girls tennis in the Lower Peninsula will move from Fall to Spring; girls golf and boys tennis in the Lower Peninsula will move from Spring to Fall; and the MHSAA will offer Upper Peninsula post-season tournaments in soccer for girls in the Fall and boys in the Spring.
The MHSAA issued the following statement after the announcement: “The MHSAA is disappointed that the Supreme Court has decided against reviewing this case. Now is the time for our schools to step up and work with the decision of the Court to continue to maximize the quantity and quality of interscholastic athletic participation opportunities for young people in our state.”
“This is for all the young ladies in Michigan,” said Diane Madsen, a Grand Rapids mother and one of the original plaintiffs in the suit. “Some of them don’t even realize they are being discriminated against. But now they will have the same opportunities and the same benefits.”
The lawsuit sought to eliminate the practice in Michigan of scheduling the girls basketball season in the fall and the girls volleyball season in the winter. Because colleges and high schools in most other states flip-flop those two sports seasons, the suit said Michigan’s schedule limits the exposure of the state’s female prep athletes and hurts their chances of winning sports scholarships.
The MHSAA said the purpose of having some different athletic seasons for boys and girls is to maximize opportunities for participation.Michigan is the only state to play volleyball in the winter, and one of two to play girls basketball outside of winter. Hawaii girls play in the spring.
I think this is great. For far too long, Michigan female athletes have been discriminated against. And don't tell me that it wasn't....if the different seasons were fine just the way they were, then put the boys basketball in the fall and let the girls play in the winter.
What's that? Won't work you say....handicaps the boys and hurts their chances for a college scholarship...well, then, you just made my point.
Comments
You say move the boys basketball season to fall? When would you play football?
I have a daughter that will have to live through this nightmare, I feel bad for her. Oh, sure we will all adapt and get used to it, but the advantage the girls had until today is gone forever.
Now, girls basketball will not get lost by trying to compete with the monster that is high school football.
I have two daughters who will benefit from this move.
I understand where this helps volleyball, but I think it hurts girls' basketball even more. I may be missing the point, but I just don't see how watering down officiating and coaching, along with forcing parents to make tough decisions on which child to watch does any good.
With that said, it doesn't make any sense to complain about it. In a few months, we will be faced with the reality of the switch. That reality as it pertains to the media will be less stressful falls (because we lose a sport with golf) and hectic winter and spring seasons.
Also, there's no way the NCTL will play varsity games on the same night. It comes down to logistics as there are simply not enough lockerrooms at schools such as Port Hope and Caseville to accommodate boys and girls on the same nights.
Andrew, you said you have two daughters that will benefit from this. Again, I may be missing the point, so please tell me how. I am trying to go into this with an open mind and if I'm missing the point, please correct me.
But every other state in the country makes it work, so for people to think that it won't work here makes no sense to me.
Maybe girls basketball here has suffered in popularity due to the fact that it has been played outside of the traditional basketball season for so long.
I've always maintained that for woman's sports to survive and flourish, woman need to support it as much as men support men's sports.
How can we, as fathers of future female athletes, hope to foster feelings of acceptance in our daughters when we tell them that they have to play their sport of choice outside of the traditional seasons of choice?
I believe that you are telling them that their sport is inconvenient...that it is second-rate...I don't believe that is a healthy thing to communicate to our daughters, whose young minds are fragile enough as it is.
Do you really think that the gyms will empty out if the girls play second?
Maybe at some schools...but the ones where the parents and kids actually have pride and care about more than just themselves, those are the places where the fans will stay.
It might take time, but change often does take time for the full effect to be felt on society.
We are at the vanguard of a changing world, and as I said, no one likes change.
I read a good article on this subject the other day in the Detroit News where the author said that the civil rights movement and suffrage were inconvenient as well. And no one liked either movement because it meant we as a people had to change.
But sometimes change is the right thing to do, whether we like it or not.
For the record, I will not be one of the fans that would leave while the girls are playing, but I fear there are many that would.
I really think the GTC will have girl's games on Monday-Thursday and boy's games on Tuesday-Friday. Given the choice as a general rule, more people will attend the boy's games. Now, I also think this will hurt attendance at the boy's games also because the parents that have girls won't want to go to 4 games a week either.
I realize we have to deal with this change - and we will get used to it, I just don't think it is what you are making it out to be.
That's all I keep hearing from people.
I didn't realize that so many people in Michigan were "Chicken Little" in disguise.
Maybe just to F-with everyone, Michigan should change to the metric system next fall too. Think of the heart attacks THAT would cause.
My point? The change will happen, we will be alright...
That way, no one's "feelings" would get hurt.
Was it fine the way it was? Probably.
Will it be fine the new way? Yup.