Major changes to the designation of high school sports teams in-regards-to gender will be addressed at the Alaska School Activities Board of Directors meeting scheduled for May 1st, 2023 in Valdez. The ASAA Board Spring Meeting will discuss and vote on changes to ASAA Bylaws Article 7 on Sanctioned Activities; specifically on separate sports divisions.
ASAA Executive Director Billy Strickland stated that a recent resolution by the (Alaska) State Board of Education requested the Department of Education and Early Development to require ASAA to change its policy relating to divisions based on biological sex. The proposed amendment, before the Board, would meet the resolution’s request.
Changes before the ASAA Board, according to Strickland, would amend Article 7 to directly address sport designation. Double Division Sports, sports with two designated team (girls and boys), for example basketball, would designate one team solely comprised of biological females, while the other team is open to both biological males and females.
Strickland on Double Division Sports….
“Those divisions would be one division which only biological females could participate. The other division would be open to all students. It’s one (policy) that would continue to allow every student the opportunity to participate somewhere.”
The changes to Article 7, if approved by the Board, would clarify the divisions in sport: single, double and co-ed; and would bring ASAA policy in-line with Alaska Board of Education policy.
The Alaska Board of Education, on March 16th, voted unanimously to approve Resolution 02-2023 urging the state to limit the participation of transgender girls in designated girls school sports.
The resolution advocates for the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development to create two sports divisions, one for athletes whose sex assigned at birth is female and the other for students of all genders. The conditions listed in Resolution 02-2023.
Strickland explained that the new bylaw revisions would establish guidelines designed to insured competitive fairness.
“Deal with something before it became an issue as opposed to later because at that point you don’t get that opportunity back for the student that maybe was negatively impacted.”
The final revision language for Article 7 establishes team designations (changes in BOLD):
Article 7: Section B. Separate Divisions for Teams and Contact Sports: Separate divisions for teams for each biological sex are permissible in contact sports or where selection for teams is based on competitive skill. Contact sports include wrestling, ice hockey, football, basketball, and any other sport “the purpose or major activity of which involves bodily contact.” C. Sports Divisions Single- Division Sports: Whenever a school has a team in a given sport for one sex only, and athletic opportunities for the other sex have been limited, members of both sexes must be allowed to try out for the team. Double Division Sports: Whenever a school has two divisions in a given sport, one team shall be solely comprised of biological females, while the other team is open to both biological males and females. However, a biological female is ineligible to compete on both teams during the same school year. Coed Teams: Prior to the first contest of the season for a specific sport, a school may declare a team as a coed team. If a school chooses to have a coed team, then it may not have a separate team in that sport. Any school declaring a coed team may not compete in any district, regional or state competition in the girls’ playoffs. An exception to the playoff rule is made for mixed-six volleyball when a separate playoff category is provided by the Board of Directors.
The current ASAA by-laws regarding Article 7 w/proposed changes: Click Here!
Finalized ASAA Bylaws Article 7 on Sanctioned Activities (if approved): Click Here!
The ASAA Board meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 1st. Public comment period via Zoom is set for 9:30 a.m.
Zoom Call instruction: 1. Dial 1-253-215-8782 2. Enter the meeting ID: 854 0563 4005 # 3. Then enter the passcode: 099491
Those requesting to make public comments should email [email protected] by noon Thursday, April 27, 2023.
