High School Cross Country Meet Sparks Debate Over Transgender Athletes

A recent junior varsity cross country meet in California has ignited a controversy regarding the validity of records held by transgender athletes in girls’ sports.

At last week’s league finals, a transgender student from Claremont High School placed fourth in the JV girls race. Conversely, the Ayala High School girls ended up in 11th place, narrowly missing a podium spot.

Ayala’s cross country coach, Caroline Cobo, felt strongly about having her runners acknowledged for their performance.

“During the awards ceremony, we asked to include the top 11 from the JV girls race,” Cobo explained. “But they told us it wasn’t possible.”

So, she and her team made a stand.

“We decided to stand up during the awards and say, ‘Oh, we’re 10th.’ On paper, the Claremont runner was 11th, but she was the 10th biological female to finish,” Cobo recounted.

Ayala’s assistant coach, Matthew Ullman, reflected on the situation afterwards.

“There were definitely a lot of eyes on us while we stood,” Ullman noted. “Later, some parents and players thanked us. But then the players from Claremont approached us. It felt pretty confrontational,” he said.

According to Ullman, the Claremont athletes questioned why he felt the need to clarify that they were biological females, to which he responded, “It was about evaluating where the standings should have been.”

“I sense some division within the Claremont team, with differing opinions on the matter,” he added.

Claremont High School issued a statement supporting its decision to only recognize the top 10 athletes, including their transgender participants, in accordance with California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) rules.

“Claremont High is part of the Palomares League, which adheres to CIF guidelines. According to these league rules, only the top 10 athletes are acknowledged,” the school stated.

In contrast, Ayala High School contended that their 11th-place runner actually deserved a spot in the top 10, referencing recent CIF rule changes for girls’ track and field. They are currently advocating to officially recognize their female athletes.

“Our administration is dedicated to honoring the hard work of our athletes and celebrating their contributions,” said John Kunishima, Ayala’s vice principal for athletics. The school is petitioning to recognize high-achieving athletes and cited an instance where a transgender student affected the normal rankings.

“This plan aligns with CIF’s decision regarding female track athletes, emphasizing that if a transgender participant affects the order, the next closest female will receive a duplicate medal,” Ayala’s statement explained.

The Palomares League is set to meet on November 18 to discuss the recognition of the top 11 finishers from the recent event, hoping to reach an equitable decision. They aim to highlight their commitment to fairness and equality among students.

Additional context includes recent CIF decisions, sparked by another controversy regarding transgender athletes, which gained national attention. Previous changes were aimed at ensuring biological female athletes who lost out due to transgender participation receive appropriate recognition in standings.

Governor Gavin Newsom previously labeled these rule adjustments as “reasonable and respectful,” suggesting they provide a balanced approach to navigating complex issues.

Now, Ayala High School finds itself at the center of the ongoing debate simply for seeking similar recognition for a JV competitor who finished just outside the top ten.