Should Girls be Allowed to Play Boy's Lacrosse if there is a Girls Team?

First of all I would not want my daughter to play boys lacrosse...but as a goalie, I think she would hold her own. She has the weight and height and hand quickness...and a black belt. She's been hit by boys many a time over the last seven years...and hit back. Many a time I winced at her commitment and fearlessness and wished she would do something else. Erin Coltrera is another goalie from last year's Lakeside team that I think could play with the boys.

Field players are another story. It would have to be an extraordinary player with the right physique to handle the hits repeatedly and have comparable speed. I think you would just be inviting unreasonable risk of injury. As far as the boys are concerned, I agree with another poster that some would hit less hard and others harder...but that's just one dad's opinion.

I have 2 sons and 2 daughters. I have coached both boys and girls teams in various sports. Girls are just as competitive and physically tough and agressive as boys. This is not about that. Boys lacrosse is not a coed sport. It puts boys in a no win situation. Knock a girl on her butt and you are a bully/jerk. Don't knock her on her butt and let her score and you have not done your job and let your team down. Let a girl knock you on your butt and you are a wimp. I support girls sports and am thrilled with the growth of team sports opportunities for girls. Boys lacrosse is just one opportunity that should not be made available.

Issaquah does not have girls playing on the mens high school team, on the Middle School team hoewever, I dont know

This isn't really an opinion but its a fitting story. Last year we played lynnwood and the girls on their team were starters (i think). In the first two minutes i was goin for a ground ball and i lowered my shoulder cause someone else was goin for the ball, and i saw that it was one of the girls so i stood up cause i didn't wanna nail her. anyway she hit me instead of going for the ball and I got a one minute unreleasable for unnecceassary roughness even though i was fully stopped and standing when she hit me. we had 18 minutes and 30 seconds worth of penalties in that game and i dont think a single one was a legit call. Not really the girls fault but pretty lame/sexist reffs, didn't really affect the game though.

Girls have their own league, so...girls play girls lacrosse, and boys play boys lacrosse, I don't see how its any more complicated than that, if girls want to hit...change the rules of girls lacrosse.

Once girls lacrosse picks up in numbers and popularity, the sooner boys lacrosse will grow and get to be WIAA and more NCAA programs(Title IX), having girls play boys lacrosse is hurting the sport over all by weakening girls lacrosse.

I think they can if they think they can compete, Because lemme tell you guys, I am about 225 pounds and I feel really frickin bad when I have to hit a girl in a game (not anybody else thought)

Okayyy, I'm sorry, but I have to step in here,
I AM ONE OF THOSE girls youre talking about.

I'm sorry, being that I've played on a boys team for three years, I have kinda strong feelings about this.

On my team this year, I definetly held my weight, so I don't see what's wrong with it. Half of you are making it seem like all girls that play boys lacrosse are imcompetent, weak, and don't know how to play the game, maybe it's just me but that seems like the strong vibe that's being given off. I THINK -- that if we can keep up, I just don't see why not.

I'm also very happy to be playing Boys Lacrosse, I don't think girls lacrosse is as exciting, or intense. Also, as advice, I think all you boys should play just as hard against a girl, because we are playing too. Personally, it makes me angrier when people go easy on me, so I show them I'm not afraid, and I enjoy the game much more when they don't go easy on me.

I respect all of your opinions, I just disagree with some of them.

I happen to know some of those girls on the Puyallup and Vashon team and they can take care of themselves just fine. Any girl that is going to put on the gloves and carry the weapon knows what she is in for. Granted the boys may have more brute force, but girls can play just as dirty. And if any boy wants to play girls Lacrosse Im sure they would welcome them, but the question is... will you be playing in the skirt too??

let them play, most likely they will never get off the bench, but if they are good enough to compete, go ahead and let them play

ok... the main issue with girls playing guys sports is not that girls aren't capable physically... The main problem is that it creates an unnecessary awkward situation placed upon the guys who are playing... No guy in his right mind wants to go out and hit a girl... even if it is part of the game... it's a contradiction of what you are taught from childhood... i understand in wrestling that a 145 pound girl can compete with a 145 guy... but that same 145 pound girl would stand no chance against a 230 pound defenseman... you just can't put guys and girls into the same contact sports... If the girls really want a more contact playing environment, than they need to deal with the rules of girls lacrosse...

yes, of course. Most girls who have to play women's lacrosse find it boring compared to men's, and most girl's players are a lot tougher than boy's, so you wouldn't "murder them", they'd probably embarass you with better stick skills. smarter play, more hustle, and toughness.

Are you kidding me?

No, let them, and watch them get murdered which they will.

It just makes things different i mean even though guys and girls are equal in every aspect...? if there is a girls team they should be on a girls team why would they want to play on a guys team?

^ fill me in