It’s reported that male player (#2 for Swampscott) knocked the teeth out of female player. Males are allowed to play on female teams in MA because of the “equal play act”
This is the town where NCAA president and past gov, Charlie baker lives. Care to comment, @CharlieBakerMA ? pic.twitter.com/ahyGrzA2Ox
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) November 3, 2023
A Massachusetts high school student-athlete had her teeth knocked out and suffered “significant facial” injuries when an opposing male player shot a field hockey ball at her face during a playoff game on Thursday.
The horrific accident happened during a playoff match between Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School and Swampscott High School.
The male player, who attends Swampscott, is seen winding back his stick to take a shot on the net but drills the opposing female defender directly in the face.
A loud ‘thud’ is heard seconds before the girl drops to the ground, screaming in agonizing pain.
Players on the field were visibly distraught over the injury as Dighton-Rehoboth staff rushed from the sidelines to administer aid to the injured player.
“Last night, a female field hockey player for the Dighton Rehoboth Regional High School girls’ field hockey team sustained significant facial and dental injuries when she was struck in the face by a shot in the third quarter versus Swampscott in an MIAA state playoff contest,” Dighton Rehoboth’s Superintendent Bill Runey wrote in a letter obtained by WCVB.
“This injury required hospitalization. The player, her family, teammates, and coaches remain in my prayers.”
The female athlete lost two teeth and her condition is unclear, according to the outlet.
“This injury required hospitalization. The player, her family, teammates, and coaches remain in my prayers.”
“The shot was taken by a male member of the Swampscott girls’ field hockey team,” Runey stated in his letter to parents.
Following the on-field horror, Runey is calling for a change in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) rules that have been in place since the 1970s.
“While I understand that the MIAA has guidelines in place for co-ed participation under section 43 of their handbook, this incident dramatically magnifies the concerns of many about player safety,” Runey wrote.
MIAA states in its handbook that “no student shall be denied in any implied or explicit manner the opportunity to participate in any interscholastic activity because of gender.”
Schools could deny a student to play a sport based on gender if the school “offers a girls’ team and a boys’ team” for the same sport, the association writes in its rules.
But in cases where there is a “single team in a particular sport,” schools must allow a student to join “to ensure that the school’s gendered designation of athletic opportunities complies with Title IX.”
“For any male athlete that’s participating in a female sport, there are zero restrictions. So I’m looking for the MIAA to facilitate some conversations to have some middle ground in terms of player safety,” Runey told the outlet.