By Izzy Labbe
“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) a girl’s place is not on a field.” ~ Pamela Sultzbach
Paige Sultzbach is a strong, athletic 15-year-old student at Mesa Prep, a school in Phoenix, Arizona. Paige played softball and volleyball before she came to Mesa Prep, which doesn’t have a softball team. Determined to play anyway, Paige joined the boy’s baseball team.
Paige is a well respected teammate, who is loved and supported by her coach, her friends, and her fellow teammates. So, naturally, the second base player was excited to go onto the Championship Games against Our Lady of Sorrows, a Catholic school in Phoenix. That is, until the team forfeited because they didn’t want to play against a girl. The worst part about this story, in my opinion, is that this didn’t happen in the mid 1800s. This happened on last week. In the 21st century.
Our Lady of Sorrows declined to comment to ESPN’s coverage of the story, but did say that the forfeit was “consistent with a policy prohibiting co-ed sports”. Prohibiting co-ed sports? That’s when I got really worked up.
I can understand how some of the boys might feel nudgy around Paige Sultzbach on the field. After all, she might have cooties. Who knows? And if we start letting girls play baseball, pretty soon they’re going to want everyone to abide by the Title IX law — the one that states that gender equality in education programs and sports is needed. Then what would we do?!
But silliness aside, I seriously think this all comes down to an old history and ancient customs that no one has bothered to change. This does not mean that Catholics are evil, or that they always practice ancient rules of thumb. My little brother attends a Catholic school for Pre-Kindergarten, and I can assure you, they have moved into the present while still honoring their Catholicism. Our Lady of Sorrows has no excuse as to why they won’t allow a girl to play on their field. Saying that it’s against their beliefs (which they did), is no more of an excuse to stop a girl from playing baseball than a Jewish family not wanting someone to eat pork beside them in a restaurant.
Paige Sultzbach doesn’t want them to give up their religion, or even give her special treatment for being a girl. She just wants to play baseball. And in a world where even the Championship Game for two schools in Arizona can be carved down into a political argument, it doesn’t look good for her. It’s not fair that she wasn’t allowed to play that game, and it’s not fair that she’s had to sit in the dugout so many times before because she’s not a boy.
Paige Sultzbach should have respect every time she steps foot on a field. She should get the same treatment as a male player. It’s not about gender. It’s not about her getting hurt. It’s not about how well she can play in relation to a boy. It’s about baseball. That’s it.
Nicely said, Izzy! I love the part about Title IX.
Why can’t boys just play with boys if they want?
Where are the boys rights?
The girls are free to have their own team, why can’t the boys?
Male and female are different, stop trying to make it like they are the same. Men can’t get pregnant. No matter how strong or big a woman is there will always be a bigger and stronger man, show me one woman that is as big as Arnold Schwarzenegger was in his prime!
Show me one women that is in the NFL, NBA, NHL! For boys sports can be a career but you can easily make a boy give up when some girls beats him. Sure, girls can compete with boys but that’s only because they mature quicker, but eventually they will not have a chance. The problem is the poor boys that get emasculated while some girls is trying to prove a point that is pointless, again I’ll say, once people become adult the women will not even come close to having the skill of the men, so why pretend the are equals as teens?
Hi Bryan,
I’d like to clear the most important thing up, here: men can get pregnant. Trans* men who still possess biologically female genitalia can get pregnant. But of course, that’s a discussion for a different day.
There are not girls in the leagues you mentioned because women are not allowed in such leagues. Women are, however, incredibly talented and strong world-class athletes, and to suggest that women will just “never be as good” as men at sports speaks to a fundamental lack of understanding about what goes into sports (it is certainly NOT just about strength).
Your ignorance saddens me, but it only speaks poorly of you, not of the women who could most certainly beat men at their own game, as it were.
Best,
Kaye
I need to say more. These boys are hoping to become pro baseball players. Even though it’s not a contact sport, none of the girls will ever be good enough to make it in major league baseball. On the other hand, most of the boys have a chance. The boys are practicing to become pros, it’s not a place for girls!
I mentioned the NFL, NBA and NHL but there is more. Women aren’t good enough to play in men’s sport. There are no women in pro soccer (world cup) or pro golf, a non contact sport.
Women do not compete with men in the Olympic sports like gymnastics, track & field, swimming, volleyball and I can go on and on.
Sports are a competition, it’s to see who’s better, that’s what competition is who wins. Why does this girl have to beat boys and show she’s better? Eventually most, if not all these boys will be able to outplay her BIG time, except for the ones then get emotionally damaged but this stupidity.
Quit trying to be better than a boy, go be a girl!!
Hey, Bryan! So thrilled that you feel so strongly about my article. However, I’d like to point out that your comment about pregnancy didn’t really change my mind, nor did it relate to the issue. It merely stated that boys can’t get pregnant. Which is true! They can’t. However, I’m not exactly sure that baseball has anything to do with pregnancy. I’m able to reproduce, but that shouldn’t mean I can’t play baseball… this also really has nothing to do with girls “trying to be better than a boy”. I specifically say that girls shouldn’t get special treatment. It’s about baseball, not about being different. I think this is an issue because it’s separating genders because Our Lady of Sorrows is insinuating that girls can’t play as well by not letting one play. That is the only thing we’re upset about here at SPARK.
And you’re absolutely right- there are no women in most professional sports teams. Who knows. Maybe Paige Sultzbach will go on to change that.
Thank you for your passionate response!
The fact that Bryan thinks a boy being beat by a girl will “emasculate” him alone saddens me. Every time I hear “Don’t throw like a girl,” I think, what’s wrong with being like a girl?
A boy will not be emasculated if he gets beaten by a girl because males and females are equal. It’s just the same as getting beaten by another boy if they were on the same level athletically. And some girls are on the same level as boys.
Paige didn’t want to “prove” anything. She just wanted to play ball, and her school doesn’t have a girls’ team. Simple as that.
Bryan, the point also was that there was not a comparable girls team for her to play on. She was allowed to try out because of Title X and made the team for her skill and deserves to play with every other player on her team.
Also, these kids are 15. I’m pretty sure every single one of them isn’t going to be a pro-baseball player either, so that argument is very weak too.