Youth Sports: Should Girls be Allowed to Play on Boys Teams

Should Girls Play on Boys Teams Series

When I am asked if a girl should be allowed to play on a boys team, I usually answer with a set of questions. Can your daughter compete with the boys? Will the experience help your daughter develop her skills? Will the experience build confidence or erode it? Will your daughter be prepared if her boy teammates do not treat her as a teammate? Will your daughter be prepared if the coach does not treated her the same way as the boys?

When my daughter was in second grade, she used to play pick up basketball during recess. She was typically the only girl playing and she was playing with / against some of the best boy athletes in her school. During one of these pick up games, she learned that a few of these boys were selected to play on the same organized team. She came home and asked if she could play on that team. I doubted it, but I told her that I would try my best to get her on the team.


Ronnie Grandison, a former NBA player, was the coach of the team. I called Coach Ronnie to asked if CC could play. I tried to convince him that she could compete. I told him that she may not be the best player on the team, but that she would definitely be his best student. He listened politely, but then informed me that the roster was filled. The very next day, I got email from Coach Ronnie. He changed his mind. He told me that he has four athletic daughters (he also has a young boy too) and couldn't say no. He added an extra spot.

Coach Ronnie runs a fantastic player development program. He and his staff treated CC (#12) just like the boys. It was so much fun watching my daughter's basketball IQ and skills increase each and every week. The following season, my daughter decided to play against girls because there were a few boys who refused to pass her the ball. Thanks to Ronnie's program, CC led her girls team to a league championship.

The Main Point

Girls should be allowed to play on boys teams if they can 1) compete, 2) grow in confidence and self-esteem and 3) improve their skills from the experience.