THIS is addressed to PSS’ director of athletics, school administrators, coaches, Board of Education members and whoever else is involved with setting rules and regs for the Elementary School Co-Ed Basketball League.
First off, thank you for all that you do and have done to facilitate the league as put on display at MHS gym this past Saturday. This weekend’s event was nothing short of inspiring: great turn out, well organized, timely and generally full of adrenaline pumping, positive vibes. Thank you again.
I was told that I should “write a b***h opinion piece for the paper” when I aired frustration about an existing league rule which resulted in a handful of excited, SVES kids (who showed up in uniform) being told they couldn’t play their scheduled game and to go home because only one of their female teammates showed up for the game. I presume it was too difficult to recognize and accommodate said kids without a public b***h opinion, so here goes. Hopefully this will suffice, but perhaps be received more as a constructive b***h piece rather than be chastised for being a “pissed off” parent’s ramblings.
The rule in question here requires that teams must have at least 2 girls (out of 5 total) on the court at all times. It is intended, I am told, to insure that “both genders have access to sports” — fair enough (Actually, I’m not sure said rule is necessary, but apparently all involved in setting the rules agreed to have it and so be it). That being the case, and if we must have a rule that requires 2 girls on the court (presumably to inject some contrived sense of gender equality in an otherwise gender-neutral level of play) then I would ask all of you who set the rules to please consider a minor amendment to said rule as follows: “If a team cannot meet the required girl:boy ratio on game-day (provided they have a legitimate roster that does… meaning that both genders are being given access and included on the team), but have enough players to play 5 on 5 on game-day then the game will proceed as scheduled although it will be recorded as a loss for the team which is unable to satisfy the gender requirement.” This will allow the kids who do show up (regardless of gender) to play — win, lose or draw be damned.
It’s easy to relegate ourselves to rules and regulations especially when the ones (namely the adults involved) who set them all agree — I get it. But, in as much as I know that this particular rule is rooted in good intentions, it clearly missed (by long shot) the purpose of facilitating primary level sports in the first place, to give our kids an opportunity to play and compete.
At least one little boy (a product of a broken home and an alcoholic single Father) who finds solace and his greatest joy in athletic competition, a boy who could hardly sleep the night before from excitement at the thought of playing his very first competitive basketball game left the gym dejected in way that no primary school kid should ever have to feel especially under the guise of some inflexible rule. There is a life lesson there to be sure and you can decide what that lesson is for yourself, but I’d just as soon bitch about it as loudly and to whoever it is who needs to hear it in hopes of never seeing that look of disappointment again. Please do whatever is necessary to avoid the same situation in future league games.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t note the immense task at-hand and effort it takes to create a level playing field for our kids. Gender issues play a small part at this level, but rather more specifics like lowering the rims, setting age limits and, of course, shrinking the size of or rather playing with smaller balls. The organizers and coaches are bringing back elementary school sports the likes of which have not been seen here certainly not since Soudelor, but arguably ever. Hopefully each of them can look past themselves on this issue and let (or rather help) as many kids as possible (especially those who show up) to play.
Thank you all again.
Sincerely,
JIM RAYPHAND
SVES Parent
P.S. One last note on the gender equality issue: The two most dominant players I saw on the courts this past Saturday were…GIRLS.
