Pasternaks Fail To Make The Cut
My first article on this drama
Twins off the team
In the end, they didn't make the cut.
After a very public battle for the right to play on a boys' hockey team, identical twins Amy and Jesse Pasternak privately mourned their loss yesterday.
I do not care what anyone else says; girls playing on boys teams is not a right.
If they had made the team, I am certain they would not be celebrating privately.
Their father Wally spoke for them.
"I applaud their courage for even going and trying out," he said from the doorstep of his family's home last night.
They were not shy about speaking publicly before. Not so surprisingly, this changed.
Courage? They really had nothing to lose. If they make the cut, I am sure they would have been gloating about it. If they did not make the cut, they have a ready excuse-"We are just girls."
"West Kildonan Collegiate and Seven Oaks School Division salute Amy and Jesse Pasternak for the strength and courage they displayed in asserting their right to try out for the team," said the written statement.
"They should not have been denied that opportunity on the basis of their gender."
There was no further comment from the division.
Now they have the division lauding their "courage" for "asserting" a non-existent right. I am sure they would not wax lyrical about any boy who fails to make the cut.
Wally Pasternak said his daughters figured they basically had "no hope in hell" of making the team, but were still upset they didn't make it.
If they did not have any real hope of making the team, one might wonder why they would cause such a fuss about being denied the opportunity.
The controversial ruling captured the attention of a hockey-loving nation.
No need to wonder. They wanted attention.
The twins did not play hockey in the two years since the MHSAA first rejected their attempt to join the boys' school team in Grade 10.
If they were at all serious about playing for the boys team, they would have been playing hockey the past two years. Of course, it would not have been on the boys team, but they had opportunities elsewhere. The only thing they were serious about was being considered "trailblazers" and "inspirations for girls everywhere." What does this have to do with the sport? Nothing at all.
Pasternaks' saga comes to abrupt end
Wake, who coaches St. James Collegiate's girls hockey team, said he's never seen the Pasternak sisters skate but their time away from hockey couldn't have helped their chances of making the team.
"It's too bad they hadn't played hockey while awaiting this decision because it probably would have helped them in the long run," he said.
"I don't care whether you're Wayne Gretzky or these girls, you're going to be one or two steps behind."
Exactly. Surely they would not be dumb enough to think being out of practice for a couple of years would not torpedo their chances.
Manitoba Human Rights Commission lawyer Sarah Lugtig said the ruling only affects girls who want to play boys' hockey.
It doesn't allow boys to try out for girls' teams and won't necessarily have an impact on other high school sports, like volleyball and basketball, she said.
"Female hockey is a very different sport than boys' hockey and very few women are able to play on men's teams," said Lugtig.
Based on those two reasons, the adjudicator ordered the rules be changed for boys' hockey only and simply advised the Manitoba High School Athletics Association (MHSAA) to examine their gender rules for other sports.
She said the adjudicator was very clear about protecting girls-only teams.
"You need girls-only teams to ensure girls have equal access to sport."
[sarcasm]Of course, the double standard must be maintained. Girls will not have equal access otherwise.[/sarcasm] If girls and boys are supposedly equals, why the double standard?
If girls want to play sports, let them play with other girls. If boys want to play sports, let them play with other boys. Giving girls the opportunity to play with the boys is a recipe for a nauseating amount of drama and litigation much like this case.
Someone might ask me, "Lord Feverstone, what if there is no girls team in a sport a girl wants to play?" If she wants to play it badly enough, she should try to form a girls team. It would be about an actual love of the game, not about trying to "show up" the boys for instant fame.
The angry father then took a swipe at the media for incessantly covering the case and not always favourably towards his daughters.
"They bashed the shit out of two little 17-year-old girls without knowing all the facts," he said.
Are they entitled to favourable coverage, especially when they choose to insult the girls team they refused to play for? Besides, from the sources I have read, the media seems to be on their side.
Do not want unfavourable media coverage? Keep out of the public eye. Problem solved.
posted by Lord Feverstone | 3:18 PM
2 Comments:
The father says the media bashed his daughters. That we don't know all the facts!
Here are some added facts about why they only wanted to play on the guys team... This following copied and pasted from a press release by the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association
The Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association is disappointed with the
decision regarding high school sport programs. The association strongly
believes that its eligibility rules promote equal opportunity for boys and
girls to participate in high school sport.
In this case, both the West Kildonan boys and girls high school hockey
teams had approximately the same number of games and practices. The
coaching staff of the girls team consisted of a Level 2 coach, and a
specialized goaltender coach, and other assistant coaches, while the boys
team only had Level 1 coaches.
The MHSAA followed the guidelines as set out by the Canadian Association
for the Advancement Women in Sport (CAAWS) who assert that it is preferable
for athletes to play on a gender specific team, when resources are similar.
The MHSAA policy is consistent with all other provincial associations
across Canada.
The MHSAA allows girls greater opportunity than boys in high school hockey.
They could have played for a "AAA", or "AA" boys hockey team, but stated
it was too expensive or they did not like the coach. They could have
played both high school hockey and community hockey, which is an
opportunity not available for boys in Manitoba. They chose not to play.
They could have attended another school that didn't have a girls hockey
program and tried out for the boys hockey team there. They chose not to
play any hockey for two years and then requested financial compensation for
their choices.
The Manitoba Human Rights Commission should consider that educators guide
the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association and it's rules and
regulations. They should appreciate that these individuals know what is
appropriate for sport development at this level and what is best for the
student athletes. It is regrettable that the Manitoba Human Rights
Commission has chosen to uphold this challenge. This decision is a
significant backward step for girls high school sport progress, and amateur
sport in general.
The school, had opportunity to appeal the initial decision of the MHSAA
Board. They chose not to appeal. The mother and superintendent were
informed that another appeal could be put forward. The original appeal was
not based on the differences of the games, but simply, "Can girls play on a
boys team, when the school has a girls team?" It is regrettable that the
school chose not to appeal. The school had the opportunity to present a
formal Motion to change our rules. This could have been considered at an
Annual Meeting, but no motion was ever submitted.
This decision paves the way for a purely merit (ability) -driven high
school sport program. This is contrary to the expert evidence from the
vast majority of school administrators, principals and coaches. Does this
now mean that boys can tryout for girls teams? Do we eliminate gender
specific teams? How will this affect female participation? Can this carry
over to Canada Games and other activities? The MHSAA feels that by
providing funding and coaching in separate categories for competition, they
promote maximum participation and opportunity for all student athletes to
achieve personal success.
Oh Lordy you nailed it on every point!
I play hockey and can confirm that it takes a minimum of 1 to 2 months of at least 3 times a week games to really get your "skating legs" and timing down to competition level; or even satisfactorily for my own standards.
These sisters would be horrendously out of shape. Jogging or other sports would not use the same muscle groups required for ice hockey.
But .. let's not stop there. Girls do not have anything near the upper body strength of boys / men. Rarely have I ever seen a shot come off their sticks with anymore than a *fluttery * delivery. This means they are no threat at any point but close in. However, their poor conditioning would sap even that possibility ; as one tires on their shift the ability to snap a shot away with any force declines dramatically.
They would also be giving up typically about a 50% advantage in body mass . If they weighed the same their speed would definitely be much slower. Imagine skating around and , relative to your size -- you are competing with giants.
Ah , it's ridiculous. Some other agenda was in force as you allude to.
I remember one time where our Rec hockey team made it to the final. We were sweeping everything in our path. At the final championship game
suddenly this women appeared -- most guys were never even knew aware we had a woman on our team -- that I hadn't seen before. She was on the first line, and after the first shift, we were down 2 nothing already.
Post a Comment
<< Home