Where Do We Draw the Line? Fairness, Fatigue, and the Future of Girls' Sports
Coach I Father I Advocate for Female Sports
This is a sensitive and deeply personal topic - one that I've wrestled with before deciding to write and publish this. There's no shortage of opinions when it comes to transgender participation in sports, particularly the issue of biological males competing in female divisions. While it's easy for the conversation to become polarized, my goal here is different.
I'm not writing to provoke. I'm writing to invite honest dialogue and to challenge our society to find a sustainable, forward-thinking path towards protecting the integrity of athletics, especially for our youth.
I recognize that the views I share may be controversial to some. However, the reality is that we're at an impasse - especially in states like Washington, where state policy directly conflicts with federal directives, such as Trump's Executive Order. If we can't talk about that honestly, we'll never move forward.
As a coach, a father, and a Christian, I want to be clear: I do not support the ideology that promotes gender as a flexible construct, particularly when it starts affecting fairness in sport. But that doesn't mean I'm unwilling to listen. Lasting solutions can only come when both sides are allowed to speak freely and be heard.
As a Christian, I'm called to be firm in truth but gracious in tone. Colossians 4:6 reminds us to let our words be full of grace and seasoned with salt - not watered down, but delivered in wisdom. That's my intent with this post. I believe we can uphold fairness in sport without hatred, and speak boldly without losing respect for others in the process.
The Question We're All Tired of Avoiding
As a coach and a father of two daughters, I've always believed sports can teach us valuable life lessons and show us how to compete with integrity. They also demonstrate how resilient we truly are when pressure arises. However, there is a message in the sand that is being ignored, and it becomes more noticeable around this time each year.
At what point does inclusion stop being fair and start being forced?
I ask this question with honesty because, like many others, I'm growing tired as a coach, parent, and supporter of female sports. Not because I don't believe in fairness and equality, but because the rules of sport seem to be rewritten every season, and always in one direction, and always without real input from the people it affects most: the athletes.
What Happened at the Washington State Track Championships
At the WIAA 2A State Championships, a transgender athlete who was assigned male at birth won the girls' 400m state title for the second year in a row. The response? Mixed, uneasy, and revealing.
There were some cheers, but also audible boos from the stands. Some spectators left early. Protesters gathered outside the venue. And across social media and local communities, the reaction was filled with fatigue and frustration.
But what truly sparked deeper concern was the athlete's quote after winning:
"I’m going to put this in the most PG-13 way. I’m just going to say it’s a damn shame they don’t have anything else better to do. I hope they get a life. But oh well. It just shows who they are as people."
That quote has become a clear example of how deeply silenced coaches, administrators, and parents feel. It wasn't just defiance; it was a reflection of an environment where only one narrative is publicly acceptable, and any dissent is painted as discriminatory.
Behind closed doors, I've spoken with coaches and teachers who are afraid to voice their concerns for fear of losing their jobs. Parents have told me they feel they can't speak up because they worry about being labeled hateful - even when all they want is fairness for their daughters.
Inclusion shoul dnot come at the cost of honest dialogue. Yet more and more, it seems like we're being told that fairness is offensive, and that biology, if mentioned at all, is bigotry.
This moment at the state meet wasn't just about one race. It's about a growing pattern: when those who disagree are pressured into silence, it's no longer inclusion, it's ideological conformity.
For many female athletes, the state championships are the pinnacle highlight of their entire athletic careers. It's their opportunity to take a shot at taking home a state title, racing for a PR, getting recruited to compete in college, and even a way for them to say goodbye to the sport before hanging up their spikes. So when a biological male athlete lines up next to them and ultimately wins, it doesn't just feel like a loss. It feels like the rules changed without anyone being asked, and people are coerced to accept the results. This emotional impact is something that we cannot ignore.
Members of the Tumwater High School girls' track team demonstrated their view through constructive protest by wearing t-shirts that read "Keep Women's Sports Female.". This initiative has received significant recognition and support at both the state and national levels. While the movement has sparked controversy, it also reflects the growing frustration many individuals are feeling. From what I understood in the moment of solidarity, they're expressing several key concerns:
- They're tired of pretending this is a non-issue
- Tired of watching girls lose opportunities
- Tired of feeling like saying anything makes you the villain
When fairness takes the backseat to ideology, people lose trust, and athletes lose confidence in the system.
School Districts Opposing Transgender Athletes in Girls' Sports
While the state of Washington continues to uphold a policy allowing student-athletes to compete based on gender identity, several school districts have begun to push back, and for good reason. Coaches, parents, and board members are raising concerns about fairness, safety, and the erosion of opportunities for female athletes.
Here's a breakdown of the districts that have taken action:
Tumwater School District
Tumwater made a splash on national headlines when high school athletes wore protest shirts and sat out of a game in response to competing against a transgender athlete. The district faced intense pressure from all sides, but allowed students to express their views peacefully. This moment became a flashpoint, highlighting just how divided and emotionally charged the issue has become at the local level.
Quilcene School District
In a close 2-3 vote, the board banned transgender athletes from participating in girls' sports, directly opposing WIAA's statewide policy. This small district made a bold statement: they're no longer willing to stay silent about what they see as a clear violation of competitive fairness.
Kennewick School District
Kennewick took things a step further and filed a federal Title IX complaint against state officials and the WIAA. Their argument: "allowing biological males to compete in girls' divisions violates both federal law and President Trump's Executive Order.". This legal action puts Washington schools on a collision course with federal authorities, highlighting just how serious this debate has become.
Mead School District
Board members at Mead passed a formal resolution calling for a return to biological sex-based competition. Though it doesn't immediately override WIAA policy, it signals strong local opposition and pressures state athletic leaders to reconsider.
Lynden School District
Lynden joined the growing resistance by officially opposing the current WIAA transgender inclusion policy. Their board is now exploring legal avenues to protect girls' sports and ensure fairness remains a central standard.
Central Valley School District
In a district where several board members have direct ties to women's athletics, Central Valley passed a resolution expressing concern over transgender athletes in girls' sports. Their message was clear: this isn't about discrimination, it's about protecting the integrity of competition.
Leadership or Denial? Superintendent Reykdal's Controversial Stance
At the heart of growing frustration among parents, coaches, and athletes is the perception that state leadership is dismissing legitimate concerns. Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal recently stated, "It is quite simply inaccurate to say, biologically, that there are only boys and only girls..." emphasizing the continuum in gender identity and defending policies that allow students to participate in sports based on their gender identity.
That kind of rhetoric, paired with state-level inaction, is exactly why local districts are stepping up. They've had enough of being told that standing up for biological reality is hateful. They're showing that you don't need to be loud or cruel to take a stand based on principle.
While advocating for inclusivity, Reykdal's remarks have been met with criticism from those who feel that these policies compromise fairness in girls' sports. Many coaches and administrators express that they feel pressured to remain silent on these issues, fearing professional repercussions. This environment, where dissenting opinions are often labeled as discriminatory, contributes to a sense of being silenced in the name of inclusivity.
A major concern is that policies intended to protect one group may inadvertently marginalize another. As debates continue, it remains critical to ensure that all voices are heard and that policies reflect a balance between inclusivity and fairness.
The Biological Reality We're Tired of Ignoring
Whether people agree or not, there are clear anatomical differences between males and females, which are significant in most competitive settings. This is not just an opinion; it's based on scientific fact. Factors such as muscle mass, hemoglobin levels, testosterone vs. estrogen levels, lung capacity, and skeletal structure give biological male athletes a considerable advantage, especially in speed and power-based events.
People are becoming fatigued because they are being asked to deny reality in the name of kindness. When reality is denied for too long, it can lead to resentment. Just as we categorize athletes by weight class in wrestling or by age in youth leagues, we need to be honest about what makes competition fair.
If minors cannot vote, enlist in the military, or get a tattoo without parental consent, how can we be comfortable allowing preteens and teenagers to make permanent, life-altering decisions about their gender identity, especially when those decisions impact their competitors?
Title IX: Why Fairness Still Matters
Title IX was established to protect opportunities for girls and women in sports. Allowing biological male athletes to compete in female divisions - without any meaningful discussion of physical differences - undermines that protection.
While some argue that hormone therapy "levels the playing field", there's no current research consensus to validate this claim, nor does it explore the effectiveness in reducing competitive advantages, particularly in younger athletes who have not yet entirely gone through puberty.
Although President Trump signed an Executive Order called "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" on February 5, 2025, this order declares it the policy of the United States to rescind all federal funding from educational programs that allow transgender women and girls to participate in female sports teams, asserting that such participation deprives cisgender women and girls of fair athletic opportunities. The order emphasized its opposition to male involvement in women's competitive sports for the sake of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth.
Enforcement and Impact of the Executive Order
Following the executive order, the Department of Education initiated reviews of athletic policies at various institutions to ensure compliance with the order.
Legal Challenges Among States and Organizations
These actions prompted legal challenges from civil rights organizations, arguing that the executive orders discriminated against transgender individuals and violated constitutional protections. Litigation is ongoing, with courts examining the legality and implications of these policies. Amending the guidelines established under Title IX requires not just executive orders but also the efforts of all three branches of our government system: the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, and the Judicial Branch; no single branch can control the outcome. Here's the process that explains how the government can clarify the legal gray area of transgender participation in female sports.
What's Really at Stake and What Needs to Change
If we continue down this path, we don't just risk losing fairness in sport. We risk losing faith in the institutions that are supposed to protect athletes of all genders.
We need:
- Age-based policies that prioritize long-term well-being over short-term trends
- Biological sex-based competition in ALL settings (youth, high school, college, and beyond)
- Transparent, open forums where ALL athletes and parents are heard
- A reset - not to exclude anyone, but to reestablish balance in the systems that sustain sport participation.
Why? Because right now, inclusion feels very much one-sided. And if people feel like they're not allowed to speak the truth, they'll eventually stop showing up as fans, supporters, coaches, and athletes.
A Call for Common Sense and Respectful Dialogue
I'm not pretending this is a simple, quick-fix solution. I know lives, identities, and feelings are involved. But the longer we avoid hard conversations, the more we hurt the very athletes we claim to support. We need to open up the dialogue and ensure that everyone's voice is heard.
People are not tired of inclusion, but of being ignored and not included in the conversation. They are tired of their silence being perceived as support. Tired of watching the very values that made sport special - fairness, hard work, and earned victory. They are all being devalued in the name of something that is exclusively inclusive.
As a coach, I believe in pushing through fatigue, but not at the cost of integrity. If we don't speak up for girls now, we may not have the opportunity to support a just cause. Let's reset the conversation. Let's protect what's fair. And let's remember: sometimes drawing a line isn't exclusion - it's leadership that is formally establishing boundaries for the sake of salvaging our existing systems.