VOLLEYBALL: Republican State Reps Demand Answers on Eligibility of Skyline Transgender Volleyball Player

Two Republican Michigan State Reps have written the Michigan High School Athletic Association, "urgently" requesting the organization confirm that a transgender girl was eligible to play for the Skyline volleyball team.

The letter, from State Rep. Donnie Steele (R-Orion Township) and Speaker Pro-Tem Rachelle Smit (R-Martin), urged the MHSAA to immediately confirm whether a complete and approved gender-identity waiver was received and approved before the athletes first regular-season contest in 2025. Without such documentation, the MHSAA should declare the athlete ineligible for further play in the tournament.

"With the state championship in progress and Skyline scheduled to compete against Byron Center tomorrow, immediate action is essential. Participation without an approved waiver violates MHSAA regulations and jeopardizes the safety, integrity and fairness of the tournament for all female athletes," the letter stated.

The letter was written Monday. Since then, 12 more Republicans signed the letter.

On Tuesday, Byron Center defeated Skyline in three sets.

Last week, Skyline defeated Saline in the regional championship match.

The MHSAA did not comment on the request from the Republican state representatives.

"Per state student privacy laws, we do not make statements or provide details on confidential student information, including eligibility status, for any specific student," said Geoff Kimmerly, Director of Communications for the MHSAA.

The Saline Post asked if all Skyline athletes were eligible to play. That question was not answered.

MHSAA Guidelines on the eligibility of transgender state that since girls are not prohibited from playing on boys' teams, the MHSAA will not be involved in matters involving a trans boy student-athlete on boys' teams. The MHSAA determines whether trans girls (male to female) are eligible for MHSAA tournaments on a case-by-case basis. An administrator for the school must provide documentation that includes the gender recorded on several documents and records, and information about potential hormone therapy and "gender affirmation" surgery.

According to Outkick.com, Byron Center AD Aaron Lake emailed parents and claimed "We have confirmed that every student-athlete who will play for Ann Arbor Skyline... is eligible under MHSAA policy."

Earlier this year, Kimmerly noted that the MHSAA has a 30-year-old rule that states boys may not participate on a girls' team in MHSAA-sponsored postseason meets and tournaments.

The process for reviewing transgender girls in girls' sports is the MHSAA's effort to comply with the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. The MHSAA is weighing those needs against President Trump's executive order banning transgender athletes from participating in women's sports.

The "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" order mandates immediate enforcement against schools and athletic associations that "deny women single-sex sports and single-sex locker rooms."

That conflict leaves the MHSAA in a difficult position.

"As we have stated since February, Michigan has a clear legal conflict between state civil rights law and the February Federal Executive Order. We have continued to await clarification on how these conflicts should be reconciled, which we understand will be addressed by a case before the United States Supreme Court later this fall," Kimmerly said in October.

West Virginia v. B.P.J could set a national standard for K-12 sports. Arguments are set for January.  Little v. Hecox could embolden associations to adopt biology-based eligibility rules.

Saline parents know all too well about eligibility. A player caught up in a residency issue was removed from the varsity football team last year. Saline was required to forfeit three victories in which he played, costing the Hornets the SEC Red title and playoff home games. The controversy split the Saline Board of Education and even contributed to the early retirement of Saline Area Schools Superintendent Steve Laatsch.

Republicans in the Michigan House of Representatives have introduced HB 5832, which aligns with President Trump's executive order.

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