Support Co-Ed Grade School Basketball Teams

During the spring of 2015, some (but not all) principals of the Southern Wisconsin Catholic Grade School League, comprised of catholic schools from Janesville, Beloit and Fort Atkinson, decided to end the practice of co-ed basketball teams in the league. At the time, league rules did not specify the gender make-up or limitation of teams. For many, many years schools in the league have played co-ed when one had too low of interest to field an entire team of a single gender.

The principals did not publish the plan to end the practice to schools before the meeting, did not take or record a vote, nor even reach a unanimous decision. Some schools agreed with ending the practice, some did not. By result of this, these few principals began to tell the other schools how to function. They did not allow schools/teams opposed to playing co-ed to opt out of competition. Instead, the prevented co-ed teams from competing. Effectively limiting the opportunity for students to play basketball at this level. The league rules state that no child is cut from a team, and all children attending practice are allowed playing time. These opportunities end once the kids enter high school. At high school level, teams are cut to approximately 11 or 12 players and court time is determined by player ability.

The principals did not enable schools to opt out of competing against a co-ed team, rather they prevented any co-ed team from competing. In other words, those few schools began to tell all schools in the league what they are prohibited from doing. A few principals began to make decisions for other schools.

Beyond the removal of decision making from individual schools, the league also demonstrates an un-Christian attitude to children. Instead of welcoming all children with or without athletic ability, the league is demonstrating that if a child's school is not large enough, children attending that school are not welcome.

The Madison Diocese does not currently have a policy on co-ed basketball teams, or any athletic leagues. The Diocese allows each league to make their own rules and administer them.

We are asking members of our community, parishes, and schools to let your thoughts be heard about whether or not each member school should be able to decide independently if they will offer co-ed athletic teams.