In an extraordinary event in 1977, every team in the Massachusetts state championship girls' volleyball tournament collectively forfeited their matches rather than compete against a team that included male players. The incident, which saw the Amherst Regional High School co-ed team win the championship by default, highlighted a contentious debate over gender segregation in high school athletics that continues to resonate today.
The forfeits were a direct protest against the presence of male athletes on the Amherst team. According to a social media post by HeCheated.org, "In 1977, every single team forfeited in the Massachusetts state championship girls' volleyball tournament rather than face a team with multiple male players." The post further elaborated that the Amherst team, being the only one with boys, advanced as each opposing team—including Billerica, Boston Latin, Brockton, and Waltham in the finals—refused to play. While the stated reason for the forfeits was an issue over net height, the underlying concern was widely understood to be the male athletes' participation.
Instead of addressing the concerns about male inclusion, discussions reportedly shifted to questioning the future of the girls' tournament itself. HeCheated.org criticized this response, stating, "Rather than banning the boys, it was instead discussed whether or not they should continue to have a girls' tournament. That is how little officials care about girls' athletics. This is not on girls to fix. It's a mess the adults made, and we should clean it up." This sentiment underscores a long-standing frustration regarding the perceived lack of support for female athletes.
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) faced legal challenges following this period. A 1979 Supreme Judicial Court ruling in Attorney General v. MIAA determined that the state's Equal Rights Amendment prohibited the categorical exclusion of boys from girls' athletic teams. This unique legal landscape in Massachusetts allowed for mixed-gender participation unless a "separate but equal" team was provided. The MIAA subsequently amended its rules to permit boys to play on girls' teams if a boys' team in that sport was not offered by the school.
This historical event and the legal precedents set in Massachusetts continue to be relevant in ongoing discussions about gender equity and inclusion in sports, particularly concerning the participation of male and transgender athletes in women's sports. The 1977 forfeits remain a stark example of the complexities and strong emotions surrounding these issues within athletic competition.
