Playing Between the Lines: The Legality of Male Athletes in Interscholastic Field Hockey

Abstract

(10 Willamette Sports L.J., no. 2, 2013, at 1). This article considers the issue of boys playing on girls’ field hockey teams and the legal tools available to litigants over this issue. It begins with background on field hockey in the US. Next, it looks at fairness and safety concerns raised to object to boys’ participation. The article then analyzes three possible legal avenues to address rules that limit boys’ participation: Title IX, the Equal Protection Clause, and state equal rights amendments. It examines five cases and considers how athletic associations should proceed in light of these court rulings.