A girl was banned from a football team in Georgia, drawing outrage from her family, according to reports this week.
Maddy Paige, 11, was starting as a defensive end for Strong Rock Christian School before the school said she couldn’t try out for the team next season, reported 11Alive News.
“It’s like taking my dream and throwing it in the trash,” said Paige, who lives in Locust Grove, Georgia.
The school’s athletic director, Phil Roberts, told 11Alive that “our official policy is that middle school girls play girl sports and middle school boys play boy sports.”
Her mother, Cassy Blythe, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the move to prevent the girl to play came as a surprise.
“I am still in shock. I don’t know where it came from. All we had received from the coaches was encouragement. ‘Maddy’s wonderful. We want her to keep playing. She has found her niche,’” she said.
Blythe added that the school principal even came to one of her games. “He told me he was looking forward to her playing next year,” she said.
Her family set up the “Let her play” Facebook page recently.
“I wanted to take a few minutes to express my sincere gratitude for your support for all athletes that struggle to compete based on differences,” Paige wrote on the page Monday. “I was taught that if you want to play a traditionally guy sport then you have to work harder than the guys. I knew what I was walking into when I joined the team.”
