The controversy of co-ed sports has been an ongoing debate. Should boy and girl athletes have the same rules while playing sports in the same league?

Title lX which is a civil rights law states that, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” (Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute) This rule applies to boy and girl athletes playing high school sports.

After a recent event where 16 year old Emily Nash won first place competing against all males in a golf tournament and was deprived of the right to take home the trophy because of her gender. It has peaked many people’s interest and has had people asking questions about the subject.

After speaking with Triton high school’s wrestling coach, Shawn McElligott, who has coached many female wrestlers, he gives his opinion on co-ed sports.

“They’re just everyday wrestlers. They do the same things as everyone else other than changing in a different locker room or different weigh-ins they’re just as much a part of the team as anyone else,” says McElligott. McElligott went on to talk about other events that have occurred in co-ed sports including wrestling, that have been said to be unfair but his overall opinion is girls mean just as much to the team as any boy.

Sophomore Bridget O’Brien, one of the female athletes of McElligott, is going on to her sixth year of wrestling. She explained the ups and downs of being an athlete on an all-boys team.

“Well being on the team has its ups and downs. Some don’t really respect you or may think its for attention until they see the work and passion you put into the sport. The ups are that you make a lot of new friends, plus in the season we all grow a bond so it’s like they are big brothers looking out for me. It’s definitely hard to walk out with the team and watch all the people talk about you, but in the end its an amazing experience,” says O’Brien.

After O’Brien gave her personal opinion on being a female wrestler, she went on to give her opinion on the equality factor that the sport has.

“Honestly I don’t believe there are differences between the rules, they make it very clear it’s a sport for boy and girl wrestlers and do an amazing job at making sure the rules are fair,” says O’brien.

The Triton wrestling team is taking on a new female wrestler this winter, Ivy Simms. She explained her opinion on co-ed sports and how it will affect her for the upcoming season as this will be her first year going out for the sport.

“I’ve always told myself a female can do just as much as a male. I believe male athletes have the same advantages and disadvantages as anyone else… Wrestling is about technique and strategy which I think I’ll bring to the table just as much as any male athlete would,” says Simms.

Football Coach, Patrick Sheehan, has only coached one female athlete during his years as a football coach. “We take any girls on the team if they are committed and willing to play. We’d love to have them and they’d be just as part of the team as anybody else. I do think there is a double standard that if girls can compete they can play any guys sports, but I don’t think it should go the other way, personally,” says Coach Sheehan.

Mrs. Stacey Beaulieu, girls lacrosse coach, shared her thoughts about whether boys and girls should have equal rights while playing sports. “There’s a line between fair and realistic guidelines set out for co-ed sports. Guys are always going to be stronger at this age and there are going to be some exceptions, but on the average guys are built stronger when it comes to them playing girls sports such as field hockey,” says Coach Beaulieu.

Ms. Donna Anderson, Triton’s field hockey coach doesn’t have a strong opinion on the issue but still shares valid points on the regulations of co-ed sports.

“I think genuinely speaking, for a guy to play a female sport they are going to be stronger, faster and it will be a game changer, so for that reason I have a hard time thinking it’s fair,” says Anderson

As a player herself competing against a team with a male player, Anderson explained how the game changes just by adding a male to the mix.

“It changes the game, trust me when I say I’d like to think that women are just as competitive, they are. They can be just as skilled without a doubt, but I think when you throw in the strength and the speed factor of a male athlete, that’s a game changer in most sports,” says Anderson.