Arizona high school soccer team refuses to play against team with two girls

An Arizona high school soccer game Friday in Scottsdale was not played after one of the teams forfeited because they objected due to "religious perspective" their opponents having two girls on their otherwise all-boys team, the Arizona Republic reports.

In an earlier game between the teams, the Foothills Academy pair of Alyssa and Colette Hocking had stayed on the bench after similar objections were made at Faith Christian's home field in Mesa, Ariz. – but not this time, resulting in the latter forfeiting the match.

"Actually, it was the team's decision," Foothills Academy coach Steven Rains told the Republic. "They would not play without their team. They felt the girls earned the right to be on the team. And they won't play without them."

"They made us proud to be a part of this team and happy that they had our back," Colette Hocking said. "And we're happy that we were part of the decision – they included us and made us feel part of the team.

"I think we're just glad – we didn't think this would ever happen, discrimination still going on, and I think the main lesson is that the boys took our side and stuck up for us and supported us."

Faith Christian administrative leader Dick Buckingham told the Republic: "I know it appears to fly in the face of what everyone is wanting to promote today, and that is equality. It is based on a religious perspective that God created guys and girls differently. The difference physically, there is a strength advantage that men have over women. We want to teach our man that honour of ladies is just not in sports. We struggle how to teach that if we're allowing them to play against young ladies in a competitive game.

"We're the ones harmed because we're giving up a game. We think it's better to do that than give a mixed message."