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No Girl on the Green with the Guys?

I happen to see this story on the AP wires. In Buhl, Idaho Sierra Harr is one of the best golfers on her high school‘s team- the boys’ team. That’s because she can’t play on the girls team because there are no enough players to field one. So she got permission from the higher ups in Idaho‘s high school athletics association to play on the guys team. They said sure, so long as she qualifies without any special advantages.

Not only did she qualify but she helped the team win the 2012 state championship this page May.

Now a few opposing coaches are calling for a rule change that will prevent girls like Harr to join the guys, even when there isn’t a girls team available.

The concern is that because Harr is allowed to compete as an individual in the girls’ meets then she has the opportunity to compete- and her competing is not allowing a boy his spot.

Yeah I say let the best golfer compete- who cares what gender they are?

There is that little thing called Title IX where it is required to ensure that girls are given equal access and opportunities- including the educations experiences that comes from playing on a team versus being an individual.

The other issue is that given Harr’s talent her peer group is really the boys as well. Other coaches within her district have said so… and playing on a team has helped her prepare for tournaments and can lead to her playing on the NCAA.

So to the grumpy coaches I say let the best golfers out- stop worrying about if a girl beats a guy- it’s annoying in 2012. After all the manliest golfing mecca, Augusta National, recently announced the addition of not one but two female members. And some how the Earth didn’t stop moving!

To read the original story.