Girl was hit in face by shot from male player eligible to play because there is no boys’ team…
A Massachusetts high school player on the field hockey team was hit hard in the face by an opponent’s shot, which resulted in significant injuries.
The player that fired the ball is a male player, which is unusual in the sport, which is why the story is generating headlines.
According to WCVB in Massachusetts, the incident has reignited the discussion on whether the state should alter its regulations for the protection of its students.
According to Dighton-Rehoboth superintendent Bill Runey, the girl from Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School sustained “significant facial and dental injuries” after the ball struck her at close range off the stick of a male player from Swampscott High School.
“While I understand that the MIAA (Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association) 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 stated in a statement. The male student is permitted by state law to participate on his school’s squad because Swampscott does not have a boys’ team.
The male student’s right to participate was upheld by the athletic director at Swampscott, who expressed condolences for the injured athlete.
“The Swampscott player who took the shot is a 4-year varsity player and co-captain who, per MIAA rules, has the exact same right to participate as any player on any team,” Kelly Wolff told WPRI.
Runey claimed he wasn’t criticizing the male athlete. Rather, he stated that the event ought should, at minimum, provoke regulations mandating improved equipment, as stated by the Taunton Daily Gazette.
“The easiest thing to do would be to change the guidelines in terms of requiring protective headwear that has a full facemask, much like softball,” he stated.
The girl was hurt, but the extent of her injuries was not disclosed, and she is no longer in the hospital. (More anecdotes about field hockey.)
