All second baseman Paige Sultzbach wanted to do was play in her school's state championship baseball game tonight. But because she is a girl, that won't happen.
Sultzbach is a freshman at Mesa Preparatory Academy, which had been scheduled to play Our Lady of Sorrows Academy in tonight's Arizona Charter Athletic Association state championship at Phoenix College. But Our Lady of Sorrows, a fundamentalist Catholic school in Phoenix that lost twice to Mesa Prep during the regular season, chose to forfeit the championship game rather than play a team fielding a female player. Our Lady of Sorrows school officials would not comment, but Sultzbach's mother, Pamela Sultzbach, said her daughter and the rest of the team received the news after Wednesday afternoon's practice.
"This is not a contact sport, it shouldn't be an issue," Pamela said. "It wasn't that they were afraid they were going to hurt or injure her, it's that (they believe) that a girl's place is not on a field."
Paige played softball and volleyball in junior high, but because Mesa Prep does not have a girls softball team, she decided to try out for the boys baseball team, with the coach's encouragement. From early on, Paige tried to blend in, her mother said. When the coach referred to the kids as "guys and gals," Paige spoke up and said that they all wear the same uniform, so the coach should just call them all guys. Her teammates have stood up for her.
During Mesa Prep's two previous games with Our Lady of Sorrows, Paige didn't play out of respect for the opposing team's beliefs, but that wasn't going to be an option this time, Pamela said. "We respected their school rule ... but she took it hard," Pamela said. "She didn't like it and neither did her teammates. They went out and played the best they could because they wanted to prove a point."
Our Lady of Sorrows is run by the U.S. branch of the Society of Saint Pius X, a group of conservative, traditionalist priests who disagree with the reforms of the Vatican II Council in the 1960s and broke with the Catholic Church in the 1980s.
It is not clear whether the school's athletics policy originates with the Society or the school. Nor is it clear if the school accepts male and female students. Calls to Our Lady of Sorrow's athletic director and principal and to the Society were not returned Wednesday.
Okay. One question: ARE YOU KIDDING ME???????
The last time I checked, this is the 21st century. I think, based upon memory, that women have actually achieved the right to own property in their own name, get a driver’s license, be employed outside the home, have their own bank account, hold political office, show some skin, speak freely and even vote.
WOW!! Our society has really evolved!
What century is Our Lady of Sorrow stuck in?? Time to move forward Our Lady of Sorrow! Maybe inch your way—put one foot in front of the other. You’ll get there!
I am happy on one hand for the Mesa Prep kids—winning the title. Great job kids!!! Based upon history, you probably would have kicked Our Lady of Sorrow’s butts anyway. However, it is nicer to earn it, and nothing as quite as nice as that on the field celebration at the conclusion of the game.
What about the kids from Our Lady of Sorrow? Where do they fit in here? Is anyone considering their interests, or is the church’s religious compass wound so tight that their hard work, achievements and feelings don’t matter? They deserve the right to play for the championship, girl or no girl on the other team.
This is just so wrong in so many ways…….
