Boy risks suspension to join high school girls' bowling team

[nickel]

November 8, 2005 - A battle is ongoing over a boy who wants to join a girls bowling team at a northwest suburban high school. Officials at Schaumburg High School have told the senior he cannot be on the team because of Illinois High School Association rules. The school does not have a boys bowling team. The student's parents say they are ready to file a lawsuit.



Seventeen-year-old Paul Rofus, a senior at Schaumburg High School, knew he risked being suspended if he attempted to show up at the bowling tryouts Tuesday for the female bowling team at Hoffman Lanes. He says although he was warned by the school's athletic director that he would be suspended, he decided to proceed with his fight.
"He also said if I show up at the bowling alley again like I did the other day or anybody approaches him or look at him the wrong way, he will suspend me," said Rofus.

The high school claims they are following policy of the Illinois High School Association. In a release the school states, Like most school districts, High School District 211 administers its interscholastic sports programs with the IHSA guidelines for post-season competition in which member schools are not permitted to enter a boy in an IHSA girls state tournament series.

"Participation opportunities for girls do not match participation opportunities for boys. Boys cannot participate on girls' team, although girls, if an opportunity is not provided, can participate on boys' teams."

Paul's mother is threatening to sue the school and the IHSA if they do not allow her son to join the girls' bowling team at Schaumburg High School.

"It just feels like it's totally discriminatory that they would allow girls to crossover but not boys," said Angeline Rofus.

Paul is an honors student who loves competing in track and football. He has received a number of recognitions for his athletic ability. Bowling is something he really enjoys. However, he say this issue is not just about bowling. It is also about his civil rights, and he just cannot see himself walking away from the problem.

"I support him 110 percent. Finally, somebody stood up to do it," said Jason Hoglund, Hoffman Estates High School. student.

Paul expects to be suspended Tuesday when he tries to go to class. He says it will affect the school year and negatively impact his ability to go onto college. But he says it is worth it to make his point.

School officials say every two to three years a survey is conducted to make sure the interests of the students are reflected in the programs they offer.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?sec...cal&id=3617635

[BigJon]

Hmmm...controversy. There is no male bowling team...but the bowling league has rules. Don't know where I stand on this.

[Mommypooh]

I think they should start a boys bowling team or let him play with the girls.

[ialsohaveadream]

Well, the kid is crying about it, doesn't that make him enough of a girl to join the team?

[nickel]

poll added

[Grimm]

Best of luck to him. He's absolutely right. Students must be treated equaly if we want them to learn to treat people equaly. Teaching students that you have to make allowances for girls, but not boys, teaches them that girls need help and aren't as good. That's wrong.

The school claiming they survey every 3 years for student interest is assinine. By the time they get and implement a survey an entire year of students has passed through the school with no input as to their interests.

[Markel]

There have been instances of girls suing (or threatening to) to be allowed on the football or wrestling (yes, there are girls that want to wrestle, and boys that will forfeit matches rather than wrestle them) teams. If they can demand and win the right to be on the boy's teams, then why not let the guy bowl?

[nickel]

Best of luck to him. He's absolutely right. Students must be treated equaly if we want them to learn to treat people equaly. Teaching students that you have to make allowances for girls, but not boys, teaches them that girls need help and aren't as good. That's wrong.

The school claiming they survey every 3 years for student interest is assinine. By the time they get and implement a survey an entire year of students has passed through the school with no input as to their interests.

i agree. you can't say the girls can join the boy's team under these circumstances and not visa versa.

i wonder if the kid really has his heart set on bowling, or with the litigation-pending backing of his parents, is just doing this to prove a point.

also,
"Paul is an honors student who loves competing in track and football. He has received a number of recognitions for his athletic ability."

bowling is hardly an "athletic" sport. you'd think since he is so recognized for his athletic abilities in track and football that he'd want to engage in sports were there is activity involved like the winter sports going on now for boys of basketball, swimming or wrestling.

[Grimm]

bowling is hardly an "athletic" sport. you'd think since he is so recognized for his athletic abilities in track and football that he'd want to engage in sports were there is activity involved like the winter sports going on now for boys of basketball, swimming or wrestling.

When is the last time you tried rolling a 16 lb ball down a lane 63 times?

The guy wants to participate in a sport he views as fun. The school offers the sport but says only girls can play. He sees a chance to fox it, so he does. It can actualy help his college application, especialy if he is interested in law school.

[nickel]

When is the last time you tried rolling a 16 lb ball down a lane 63 times?

The guy wants to participate in a sport he views as fun. The school offers the sport but says only girls can play. He sees a chance to fox it, so he does. It can actualy help his college application, especialy if he is interested in law school.

i've bowled Grimm. it's no biggie compared to sprinting up and down a court and trying to make jumpshots and layups.

and i agree with your second paragraph, the guy seems to have an agenda.

[ialsohaveadream]

bowling is hardly an "athletic" sport. you'd think since he is so recognized for his athletic abilities in track and football that he'd want to engage in sports were there is activity involved like the winter sports going on now for boys of basketball, swimming or wrestling.

Maybe he's like me, and is good at track and football, but terrible at basketball and swimming and not into the rampant communicable skin diseases in wrestling. Or maybe he's just trying to be a tool. It's hard to tell on this one.

[Burzhui]

he just wants to hit the showers with them

[Sirrich3]

Lets see how he does

[Sirrich3]

I'm sure someone will post his progress or so..

[ufcrusher]

In my mind they should let the guy play. Bowling is supposedly all about skill and theoretically sex bears no part of how skilled a bowler you are. (Think about the little kid who is a bowling wizard with his 4lb ball vs. the gorilla with the 15lb ball...its all about approach and technique.

I dont see how the athletic director can tell him NOT to show up at a bowling alley. From the article it sounded like it was a bowling alley NOT operated by the school so I would argue that a suspension could not be implemented as a result of that.

As many people said we have women playing football, wrestling, fighting to be on the mens soccer team, and intruding on many "traditionally male" sports. Yet the idea of allowing a man to do the same is looked at as nuts.

In Middle school, we had a guy who I will jall DD who wanted to play on the girls field hockey team. I think his reasoning was that it was the closet thing to both hockey and lacrosse, both of which were not offered at our middle school. I remember there was some minor in fighting, but the final result was that he had to wear the same uniform (the skirt/kilt and polo shirt) and could play, so long as he didnt cause any trouble. If memory serves, there were several other schools that filed complaints about his being on the team, but he ended up playing for most of the season. (You will have to excuse my muddy memory as its been a LONG time since that time)

[LPMiller]

i've bowled Grimm. it's no biggie compared to sprinting up and down a court and trying to make jumpshots and layups.

and i agree with your second paragraph, the guy seems to have an agenda.

no, it's not the same as basketball, but it's stil a physical sports, has it's share of injuries (mostly to the back) and personally I'd never arm wrestle a good bowler. If you are any good at bowling, that means you've done it ALOT.

[cheapie]

while i don't have a problem with him joining the team, it's not exactly the same as a girl joining a boys' team. when girls do that, they are generally at a physical disadvantage, at least later on towards high school, and they are doing it in spite of it. the same is not true for a boy joining a girls team.

[Markel]

Schaumburg is about 10 miles from where I live, but I haven't heard this mentioned on the Chicago news radio station.