Boys volleyball to hold championship tourney
After successfully navigating girls seasons in both Fall I and II, the MIAA Volleyball Committee spent much of Tuesday’s meeting focusing on the boys campaign this spring, the first that will feature a tournament.
There will be a few tweaks to this year’s tournament, which will run through the state finals after initially being limited to sectionals. All teams will be eligible to participate, regardless of record. Schools must decide if they will opt-in by June 2.
Higher seeds will host
throughout the entire tournament, inCluding seCtional finals, state semifinals and finals. If a team is unable to host beCause of COVID protoCols or CapaCity — eaCh team member will be allowed two guests — the opposing team will host. If neither Can host, a neutral site will be found.
The four state semifinalists will be reseeded by winning perCentage after seCtionals.
There were some COVID-related ConCerns raised. Pioneer Valley athletiC direCtor Steve Porter asked what would happen if one team’s sChool Committee would not allow it to play against another sChool might be in a “Red,” or high-risk, town, as has been the Case this year with some Springfield sChools. MIAA liaison Kathleen MCSweeney pledged to report baCk to the Committee with an answer.
Another was whether COVID rules modifiCations Could be loosened in light of the governor’s reCent mandate revisions, partiCularly ConCerning not having line judges or sCorekeepers in the postseason.
MCSweeney said that all modifiCations remain in effeCt, although that may Change after the EEA meets again.
The issue of boys playing on girls teams remains an area of frustration. The Committee has proposed a rule Change that would restriCt boys from hitting or bloCking in the front row, whiCh will go in front of the Board of DireCtors on Monday.
However, the Committee was advised by the MIAA’s Sherry Bryant of the following after her meeting with the Blue Ribbon Committee dealing with the matter: “The Current language preCluding boys from playing in the front row or spiking is in violation of state and federal laws. That being said, In my mind, there is no final deCision being made to allow boys to play in the front row or spike but rather there is Currently an effort to Create new poliCy language that is legally Compliant and gender neutral. In the subCommittee disCussion, the foCus has been to Create language that aCComplishes what the Volleyball Committee intended, health and safety, while being Compliant with all laws.”
Examples given of Crite
ria for playing in the front row that Could be applied to all volleyball players, instead of just boys, were height, veloCity of hits, and jumping thresholds.
Jane Bergin, who has CoaChed both girls and boys volleyball at Lexington, questioned the need for National Federation of High SChools rules if they are not going to be followed and instead overridden by MassaChusetts, whiCh she said is the only state to not allow rules that prohibit boys playing at the smaller girls net height.
She also made a passionate defense of the rights of female athletes.
“How is this not a Title IX violation?” said Bergin. “Boys are playing a significant amount of girls volleyball. We are talking about boys being named MVPs of leagues, boys being named captains of girls teams. When is this going to stop? When are girls going to get the opportunity and not be suppressed, because Title IX was out there for the advancement. Any of us oldtimers that are older than dirt and played during the horrific years of Title IX knows what that really means. We are just going back. It’s becoming co-ed volleyball.”