THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 2, 1997 TAG: 9612290045
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 13 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: The Sports Editor
SOURCE: James Black
LENGTH: 72 lines
Every time we appear to make progress in society, some move or a lack of action smacks us in the cheeks and makes us face reality.
Nansemond River assistant principal Kevin Alston's battle with the Virginia High School League over gender equity reminds us of the imperfect world we live in. And more specifically that discrimination does, and probably will always, exist.
For Alston, many Suffolk high school girl athletes and other local residents, the issue is a lack of alignment for all female sports in high school competition.
In nine boys sports, each sport is played at the same time of year around the state regardless of the classification. For example, boys soccer is played in the spring in Group AAA, AA and A and the same goes for football, basketball, etc.
However, only four of the girls seven sports are aligned. Basketball, volleyball and tennis are played in different seasons throughout the three classifications. The problem with the format is the VHSL reclassification that takes place every two years causes teams to be shuffled around.
Nansemond River and Lakeland, members of Group AA's Bay Rivers District last school year, are now in Group AAA's Southeastern District. With that move came changes in seasons for certain girl sports at the Suffolk high schools.
Any female athlete who played field hockey, volleyball and tennis in AA was forced to choose between the three sports this school year since they are all fall sports in AAA. In AA, field hockey was played in the fall, volleyball in the winter and tennis in the spring.
Alston, who is part of a class action suit that is expected to be filed soon, made a proposal for the state to align the girls sports in all events in September of 1995, shortly after reclassification had been announced. His proposal was given very little consideration.
In a letter from Ken Tilley of the VHSL, Alston was told that there was some support when the proposal was mentioned in a board members' meeting. It was also emphasized to Alston that the supporters were in the minority.
``As far as the League is concerned, I do not plan any further action in this area,'' Tilley wrote on Oct. 25, 1995.
``If you are affecting a minority of people, you're never going to right that wrong by a vote,'' said Alston, whose daughter Ashley plays sports at Nansemond River. ``You have to do what's right just because it's right. To discriminate against people is unlawful.''
But as Alston and the supporters of his argument are finding out, many people within the VHSL do not see their current alignments as being wrong. The bottom line for some people is that girls are given the right to participate in sports. ``Does it matter when they play and if their circumstances are fair and equal to their male counterparts?'' is the rationale. For Alston, the authors of Title IX and many parents and athletes, equality matters a lot.
In a letter to Wendell M. Waller of the Suffolk City attorney's office on Jan. 19, 1996, McGuire, Woods, Battle & Boothe, representatives of the VHSL, wrote:
``Finally anyone considering a suit against the VHSL should be aware that he or she is attacking a position very popular with the overwhelming majority of girls, their parents and their school.''
So I guess Alston and any other parent or family in the state who has an issue with the current alignment should back off!
To this day, there are some people who feel that organized girls sports should not exist. Actually, probably many more people than we could imagine feel this way.
Everyone knows 1997 is here. Well, maybe not everyone. The VHSL seems to be living in the past when it comes to girls sports. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
High School Sports Alignment
Boy's Sports
Girl's Sports
[For complete copy, see microfilm]