Vermont girls basketball team forfeits game against team with transgender player

February 28, 2023 / Athletic AdministrationBasketballCoaching
A Vermont girls’ basketball team has withdrawn from the state’s Division IV tournament because of a refusal to play a team with a transgender student-athlete.

Mid Vermont Christian School, the 12-ranked team in the tournament was scheduled to play at fifth-seeded Long Trail last week, but the withdrawal from the game allowed Long Trail to advance.

vermontA recent story from the Vermont Valley News detailed the decision by the Mid Vermont Christian girls’ basketball team.

Below is an excerpt from the Vermont Valley News story.

“We believe playing against an opponent with a biological male jeopardizes the fairness of the game and the safety of our players,” MVCS head of school Vicky Fogg wrote in an email to the Valley News on Wednesday evening. “Allowing biological males to participate in women’s sports sets a bad precedent for the future of women’s sports in general.”

Fogg declined a request for an interview.

Lauren Thomas, the assistant executive director for the Vermont Principals’ Association, said MVCS sent her a letter stating that it would not be entering the tournament but did not elaborate on its decision.

Long Trail athletic director John Schneble did not respond to requests for comment. The Mountain Lions played their full 20-game regular-season schedule without any issues, finishing 14-6 with 11 wins in their last 12 games. The Eagles’ forfeit sent Long Trail to the quarterfinals Friday against No. 4 seed Arlington.

Vermont law allows transgender female students to play on girls’ sports teams. Among the goals of the VPA’s Activities Standards Committee is to provide “proactive talk tracks for transgender athletes.”

“I have received calls (from schools) asking for best practices and how to go forward knowing they were going to play a team with a transgender female on it,” Thomas said. “We just supported our stance and our best practices through our inclusivity statement.”

To read the full story from The Vermont Valley News, click here