Scottsdale's Foothills Academy College Prep does not have a girls soccer program, so female players Alyssa and Colette Hocking play for the boys team -- at least they try to.
Controversy has erupted in Arizona after the boys high school soccer team from Faith Christian refused to play against the girls on Friday.
According to The Arizona Republic, Faith Christian cited religious beliefs while saying the school would not compete against a team with female players.
Rather than leave the girls on the bench, the Foothills Academy College Prep team voted to not play unless all of its players -- including Alyssa and Colette -- were allowed to play.
Faith Christian refused, and forfeited the game.
"I know it appears to fly in the face of what everyone is wanting to promote today, and that is equality," said Dick Buckingham, administrative leader of Faith Christian. "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 men that honor 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."
Foothills Academy College Prep encountered the same problem earlier in the season, when the boys team from Our Lady of Sorrows also refused to play against female players. Since they had driven an hour to get there, the team decided to play the game without the Hocking sisters.
This time, however, the team stood strong.
"Actually, it was the team's decision," Foothills coach Steven Rains said. "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."
The Hocking sisters were grateful for the support.
"It made us proud to be a part of this team and happy that they had our back," Colette Hocking told The Arizona Republic. "We didn't think this would ever happen, like discrimination is still going on. I think the main lesson is that the boys took our side and they stood up for us and they supported us."
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