A Coach's Stand: Transgender Athletes in Women's Sports

Meet Melissa Batie-Smoose, the former associate head coach of the San Jose State Spartans women’s volleyball team. She’s been making waves for standing up for what she believes in, even if it means putting her career on the line. Batie-Smoose was suspended after she filed a Title IX complaint against San Jose State University. She alleged that a transgender player, Blaire Fleming, conspired to lose a match and injure a teammate. A group of women are now suing the university and the Mountain West Conference, claiming their rights are being violated.

The controversy has led five teams in the conference to cancel games against San Jose State this season. Batie-Smoose shared that the situation reached a boiling point when team co-captain Brooke Slusser spoke out. Both faced backlash for their opinions. Batie-Smoose was warned that speaking out could lead to her suspension being turned into a firing. Yet, she chose to speak up, believing that biological males should not compete in women’s sports. Batie-Smoose sees this as a fundamental issue of fairness and safety in women’s sports. She praises the teams that have canceled games, seeing their actions as standing up for women’s sports. She also noted that many players might stay silent due to fears of losing scholarships and other benefits.

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