Special Meeting — March 10, 2025

as your toe [Music] okay so this is a call to order this special board Workshop of the governing board of education is called to order by myself baram so 4M on Monday March 10th 2025 at the Performing Art Center at Great Oak High School approval of the agenda are there any requests for changes to the second Len would you please call

rooll yes yes yes yes the motion is adopted four to zero in attendance this evening are uh myself Emil baram Dr Joseph krosi Mr Steven Schwarz and Mrs Jennifer WMA Allegiance put your hand over your heart hats off ready begin I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it

stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all now we will proceed uh to uh the public comments uh section of the meeting the one you've all been waiting for so for I I just want to remind everyone and I would like everyone to please listen to this for special board meetings which is what this is public comments are

restricted to only items listed on the special meeting agenda which means all the comments have to relate to girls field hockey okay public comments are allowed up to a maximum of three minutes per comment in the order received to a maximum of 30 minutes per item for comments on agenda items or non-agenda items unless the item has been placed on

the published agenda in accordance with the brown act no action will be taken no discussion will be made regarding uh Personnel items in Open Session all public comments are an essential part of the of the board meeting and are carefully considered by the governing board so lene how many comments do we have 34 okay so we're going to take all

of those comments at 3 minutes a piece okay okay so we will go ahead and begin Len can you call the first up is Callie followed by Haley Le [Applause] Callie gartland good evening and thank you for this opportunity to speak my name is Cali gartland I'm a current Junior at grade Oak High School and have played

field at the school since my freshman year field hockey has and will always be more than just a sport to me it was my childhood it is my family and friends and it will be an experience I look back on with nothing but joy when I was born my mom was a college field hockey coach at Missouri State University so I was

practically born with a field hockey stick in my hands I began traveling to tournaments with her as young as three months old and when she needed a babysitter the girl she coached would be her first thought I really started playing field hockey though when I was 7 years old with 79ers to to Tula field hockey club that was founded and is

still based here in Tula I attended all of the summer camps I could making so many friends of all ages we would practice at bird sof Sports Park which if you are unfamiliar is the park right over there so this meant that a lot of the girls field hockey girls who played at the high school would also attend and

play in the older Division and I would love to look up to them these girls were my biggest inspiration and they truly made me feel like I was part of the team despite being almost a decade younger than most of them I'd braid their hair cheer them on for every game I could attend and even made a sign for my

favorite player her senior year I was a part of the team long before I was a freshman which made the choice to try out my freshman year pretty much instant playing field hockey my freshman year opened up an infinite number of doors for me in all different ways I met my best friend that I now consider my

older sister I learned to stay on top of my academics and was inspired to join clubs that field hockey upper classman were on the board of my world has forever been changed all because of the simple choice to pick a a field hockey stick and put on a pair of Shinu guards this year I began working as a volunteer

coach with the 79ers Tula field hockey club and chose to give back to the club that has given me so much this past decade working with and inspiring the numerous middle and elementary schoolers that are here today to try their best not only in hockey but also in life is always the highlight of my week Middle School girls

who have spent years honing their field hockey skills in preparation to play Not only high school but also College are having opportunities ripped away from from them with the decision the district has made to cut our sport that being said I do not need you to save this sport for me it has given me enough and that is honestly more than I could have

ever wished for I do ask though that you save this sport for the 13-year-old the 9-year-old the six-year-old the three-year-old show them that they are so much more than a number on a graph show them that their sport is valued show them that they do not deserve to be pushed around any longer thank you Follow by Kati

please haly lens okay at first I'd like to begin what field hockey means to me field hockey isn't just a sport to me it's a passion a community and a huge part of Who I Am from the first time I picked up a stick I fell in love with the speed strategy and teamwork that makes this game so special it has taught me

discipline resilience and how to push past my limits the friendships I've built on the field are lifelong and the lessons I've learned have shaped me into the person I am today now I'm taking this passion to the next level playing in college the opportunity doesn't just happen it came from years of dedication the support from my teammates and the chance to

compete at high school field hockey has given me a future and I want others to have that same chance that's why this sport matters it's not just a game it's a pathway to growth success and Lifelong Love for some something greater than myself now imagine a school where students lose opportunities to grow compete and build lifelong skills that's

exactly what will happen if our field hockey program is eliminated field hockey builds character and Leadership they're teaching teamwork discipline and perseverance it also many players develop leadership skills that help them beond High School it also promotes physical and mental well-being through offering students a healthy active lifestyle and helping with Stress Management and mental health fieldi also

strengthens School spirit and community Through bringing students family and alumni together and a successful team enhances School reputation and pride taking it away hurts future athletes because younger students lose a chance to play and fewer opportunities for college scholarships and athletic development this program is more than just a sport it's a community a family and a source of Pride so it is wrong for

our program to be eliminated as it means to it means so much to all of these people thank you for your time followed by Lana good evening I would like to say to meula Valley Great Oak um we each have a story my story is I grew up playing field hockey since since the age of four it has brought

connections cross country I grew up in Pennsylvania and all three of my bridesmaids were field hockey players at different levels I went to the University of Virginia and played I got a wonderful education I wore the red white and blue and traveled internationally for the USA these girls throughout our community they work hard and they work hard all

year and we want that experience we want to enjoy the camaraderie the hard work the days you don't want to wake up because you can barely sit on the toilet because you're sore we want to embrace that opportunity ladies no matter how or what is worthy you power powerful and you can do anything you want to board members I ask you tonight to

listen to these stories because each one has a different one and please think of your son daughter nephew niece going through this process thank you good evening community members parents players and trustees my name is LGA saon I am a freshman here at Great Oak my jersey number is 28 and I wanted to start off by saying my transition to

high school was not considered a normal situation in 2020 like many students I started homeschooling and continued in the hiia program through 8th grade I knew during my my eighth grade year I wanted to play a sport in the past I have participated in multiple Sports I have also been a lifelong participant in martial arts earning a second degree

black belt in multiple Styles even though I loved martial arts I felt that I was missing out on that team aspect then it all came in the mail the Taca parks and recck brochure with my parents I browsed through it and found the 79ers program after a few sessions I knew Feld hockey would be something I would want to do

for many years to come I love how Technical and strategic the game is I admit I had a long way to go when catching up with most of the girls because they were amazing they clearly had a passion for the sport I noticed that from the beginning I decided to try out for the team and prision was hard but every day I felt so

rewarded and most importantly welcomed by my team daily our coaches made us better players and people I even had upper classmen take the extra time to help Mentor me the parents are so dedicated and we all know feel hockey parents cheer the loudest my whole point is that this group became my family Phil hocky has taught me how to be strong resilient and

what it's like to really be part of a team at UHS we have values of spirit which stands for scholarship passion Integrity reflection involvement and teamwork I want to take a few moments to show how this team encompasses these values scholarship we have a Collective GPA of 3.8 to 4.1 we have a passion for academic achievement and mentorship

passion our team has so much passion for the sport we even play in the offseason together in an indoor League Integrity our coaches have instilled integrity and sportsmanship like behavior in everything we do this impacts us as individuals and prepares us for future successes and failures reflection after each game win or lose our coaches would take the time

to reflect on our gameplay and how we can improve involvement recently our team has volun ered in many community in many Community projects at Jacob's house to meula special games and some of the field hockey members also organize the senior care Club teamwork look around we are here as one field hockey voice to advocate for tonight I

am proud to live and play in too Valley at gos please help us in the effort to save f hogy for our teams and future players thank you [Applause] by hello my name is Isabelle okay hello board members my name is Isabelle RIS and I am Number 14 on the field hockey team at grok High School I started this sport one year ago

with Z knowledge of how it was played however I have not only expanded my knowledge of the sport but also gained friends memories and the ability to work through difficult times in addition I have gained the skill to learn how to balance Sports academics and extracurricular activities such as CSF and WSB I was able to accomplish this

all with a 4.0 GPA field hockey is not just a sport I play to stay healthy or say that I'm an athlete it is something I truly love I found close friends of my teammates and supporters in my coaches this sport has given me many learning experiences like perseverance through difficult times how to be part of a team

and taking the good with the bad I came from a small private school nervous to move into a bigger environment with people I didn't know that's when I found great Oakfield hockey a group of welcoming girls who are kind funny supportive and so much fun to be around along with three great coaches who are endlessly supportive and pushing us to

be the best we can on and off the field they all care so deeply for the sport like I do and it's not just at Great Oak Field Hockey either I had the opportunity to play for stomp during January and February with three amazing TOA Valley girls and my teammates from Great Oak even if we are Rivals at the

end of the day we are brought together by the love of the sport I'm a field hockey player and I wouldn't have had such an amazing freshman year if I wasn't even if it's not the most recognized sport at our school it has shaped my freshman year and I Know It shaped many of my teammates lives I hope

that my next three years in high school can be filled with bus rides tournaments and practices with my friends I hope that the new wave of freshman is able to experience this too they should have the opportunity to create memories and learn new skills and improve their game alongside their friends during their High School experience they should also

have the opportunity to play flag football if they wanted to no sport should be sacrificed for another especially a girl sport thank you for your time by my name is Whitley Payne and I'm a field hockey player at gr Oak High School I'm here today to ask you to reconsider your decision to end field hockey in the district no one asked for

my opinion so I'm here today to say I don't want to play flag football field hockey has been a part of my life for 5 years I started at the 79ers City Rec club and I couldn't wait to play in high school this year I made vers the varsity team as a freshman my goal has always been to play in college getting rid of

the Great Oak Field hockey program ruins our players chances at getting scholarships and experience to put on college applications not to mention field hockey has help me helped me grow as a person and meet new people that I would have been too afraid to talk to without the program I've met many of my close friends through field hockey my

coaches have taught me so many important things and made a family bond between the team I feel like T USD doesn't care about me how would you feel if it was your own family being torn apart by people who are supposed to be making good decisions for you I can't imagine my life life without the great Oakfield

hockey program all the hard work the team and coaches have put into this program is undeniable and we as a team will fight for our sport will you or are you saying my sport isn't important I want to thank all the board members who took the time to read and respond to our community concerns about the tvsd

decision that affects all of us thank [Applause] you hi I'm Sydney clicker good evening members of the board my name is Sydney klecker and I'm currently a senior at Great Oak I've always been an anxious person I've struggled to connect with people and have found myself to give up if something I do is not perfect not having been the most athletic person my

parents even discouraged me from playing hockey believing I did not have what it takes despite this I was finally allowed to play if I bought my own gear field hockey has been a supportive and encouraging environment for me from the very beginning my very first day the first day of preseason I was so nervous that I ate my breakfast too quickly

leading me to throw up at practice I was mortified I had already messed up so badly despite this my coaches and teammates were the first to help me there was no judgment only compassion this is when I knew that this program is something special despite my Rocky start I kept coming to preseason because I knew I was not in it alone no matter the

grade no matter the team field hockey is so connected through the encouragement of my teammates I found myself myself able to do things I could never have done before often after practice or preseason I would find myself sitting in my car and considering everything I had done that day in disbelief I felt so accomplished yet I knew this was not

something I could have done without the help of my coaches and teammates field hockey has helped me to find confidence in myself and a determination to do my very best and never quit I learned that mistakes do not mean the end I don't have to be perfect to believe in myself and hockey has given me the confidence

and the determination to do so this year I've had the privilege of playing on JV and seeing how the incoming freshmen have picked up the sport as I have with my experience from the previous year I was able to help encourage them as I'd been encouraged before we were able to uplift each other and help each other

improve I've never been much of an outgoing person but hockey has helped me to speak more it must be the combination of the safe environment our coaches have worked so hard to create and the girls themselves being so passionate about the sport but I soon found myself known for asking what you've had for lunch today or other little St to start a

conversation with my teammates it's little moments like this that we share as a team that remind me of how special hockey is beyond the field field hockey is the most welcoming and supporting environment I've ever been a part of field hockey has helped me to truly connect with others through our passion for the sport I may not be a perfect

player but we learned through our mistakes and field hockey has helped me to grow as a person I will never forget everything that has taught me I regret not having started playing until my junior year but what truly breaks my heart is knowing that my teammates and a rising generation of girls may not have the chance to discover such an amazing

sport as I got the opportunity to it has done so much for me and I know it can do so much for so many other girls please support us through this time and help advocate for a program that truly makes a difference a program that is helped shape my life and created a passion that I haven't known before thank you

good evening everyone my name is Alana Mahoney and I stand before you not as a supporter of field hockey but as someone who understands firsthand the impacts this sport has had on individuals families and communities field hockey is more than just a game it's a pathway to higher education for countless student athletes this sport gives students the

chance to further their education while doing what they love playing field hockey many young athletes rely on this sport to open doors to universities they might not have been able to even consider other otherwise taking that away doesn't just remove a sport it removes F Futures anyone who has played or watched this game knows the energy dedication and love that athletes pour

into every practice every Sprint and every goal field hockey teaches discipline teamwork and perseverance lessons that extend far beyond the field and into every aspect of a player's life taking away field hockey will take away an outlet for young athletes to grow Express themselves and chase their dreams but most importantly field hockey is about family not just the family

you're born into but the one you build through the sport teammates become lifelong friends coaches become mentors and the field becomes a second home the bonds that they're created through this sport teaches young athletes the value of unity respect and working towards a common goal to ban field hockey is to destroy this family and take away a

support system that so many rely on we cannot allow a sport that H we cannot allow a sport that has shaped lives built futures and created families be erased field hockey is more than a game it's an opportunity a passion and a home and that's worth fighting for thank you for your [Applause] time it's all right hi I'm MOA good evening everyone

my name is MOA Vaga and I'm a freshman at gr Oak High School I'm here to speak on behalf of keeping field hockey in our district playing field hockey in Great Oak I've seen firsthand how important this sport is to me and all these girls here it's taught us discipline teamwork and resilience it's provided us all a

space to grow and challenge each other I believe that offering flag football is a great idea but taking away field hockey just doesn't make sense to me why should students who have dedicated countless hours to this sport give it up not only them but younger students who have been playing the sports for years for years and have been waiting for their turn to

play field hockey in high school they deserve the chance to keep playing the sport they love if if this decision is about expanding Sports why get rid of one so many already love there must be a way to support both Sports rather than forcing current athletes to give one up field hockey has been a part of our

school for years it's built a strong Community between players coaches and parents many of us have many of us here have found a sense of belonging through field hockey forming strong friendships and learning valuable life skills getting rid of it rid of it would mean stripping students of these benefits and forcing them to either quit the sport

they love or try something completely different I urge the school board to reconsider this decision and find a way to support both field hockey and Flag Football let's work together to ensure that everyone has a chance to play the sport they love thank Ariana hi good evening my name is Caroline bayen I'm a senior at grok high

school and I have been playing field hockey the last three years I wanted to share my experience through the field hockey program because I have gained so much from field hockey and it has become one of the most important aspects in my life I have participated in a lot of sports throughout my high school experience Cross Country Soccer track

lacrosse but field hockey has been has remained my favorite out of all not only due to the fact that this sport is amazing and unique but also because of the community my coaches and teammates have built over the years my field hockey teammates are like a family to me not because we are forced to see each other every day but because of the bond

we have built over the summer training wak him at 7:00 a.m. to be at practice at 88: or after school practices morning practices and all the team bondings we have had out of all the sports I have played I have never found such a balance between working hard and having fun one of the greatest things I have

gotten from field hockey is the ability to exercise my leadership skills I'm pretty quiet in school and I don't like speaking during sacratic seminars and harnesses but field hockey has helped me get out of my show and find amazing new friends and demonstrate my leadership skill on the field I love the sport so much and there aren't enough words to describe how much

I love this sport but I hope after hearing our speeches you will see that field hockey isn't just another sport that we do to stay in shape or put on our resumes we play this sport because we love it and because we build a team and friends that we like that we will love forever thank hello everyone my name is Ariana Diggs

and I am the captain of the Great Oak High School varsity step team I'm also an officer at Great Oaks Club she's the first and as Captain of step team and leader of such an amazing Club I witness firsthand the amount of dedication practice and perseverance that my team goes through to shape who we are learning the skills of communication

resilience and teamwork if one day we were all told that the program we would put so much effort and work into every day got shut down and we had the option of joining cheer or dance instead we'd all be devastated acknowledging the fact that these programs and Performing teams are not similar whatsoever the situation here is very similar except it is our

reality field hockey is one of the oldest Sports in history gaining more popularity in England in the 19th century spreading World quickly spreading worldwide becoming popular among women at a time when opportunities for female athletes were extremely Limited in the United States field hockey today continues to play a huge role in advancing sports for women it was one of the few sports that widely

was available to women before Title 9 was passed in 1972 a law ensuring equal opportunities for female athletes in schools for decades field hockey has empowered women and by removing it from our schools we're not just eliminating a sport we're we're erasing part of history and a legacy that is pave the way for female sports not to mention that offering a

variety of sports like field hockey provides different opportunities to students to find something that suits their interests and abilities not every athlete is suited for every sport and field hockey offers a unique and valuable option many women who play field hockey continue to play in college and Beyond opening doors for different scholarships and careers that can help

lay foundation for a bright future getting rid of this sport would limit these amazing possibilities for our students we are a district that Prides itself on offering a variety of opportunities for all students to grow and succeed field hockey is a part of that tradition it's not just a sport it's a community a [Applause] legy good evening my name is Madison

Payne and I am not a field hockey player however someone very important to me is my sister Whitley Payne I might not play the sport but I see how much this sport affects people in the community my sister has been so much through so much this past year and has experienced things no one at her age should she

experienced the tragic passing of a classmate and friend at the hands of an impaired driver guess where she was when she heard about the accident at Cal cup playing field hockey through the ups and downs of her life she has had one constant thing field hockey field hockey was there for her grief if she was mad she had field hockey if she felt anxious

she'd go play field hockey I watched as she practiced every day the summer before her freshman year she put hours and hours on this game she told me almost every day how she couldn't wait to play on a high school team she would tell me how she wanted to be a freshman on varsity and earn her Letterman even

now she shows me colleges who have women's field hockey and says look at how cool it would to go would be to go here and play and now you want to take that away from her do you want to take away the opportunity for hundreds of girls to play at the high school level and eventually move on to the college

level do you want to take away their joy and this Joy cannot be replaced by another sport do you want to take away these girls one constant they may have in their life that scares me you place a fear of uncertainty in every sport now I play Varsity golf at grade Oak High School and now I'm scared you'll cut my

sport without my opinion just like you're doing in field hockey my sister and her teammates sport is being cut without any parent player or coach discussion how is that fair thank good evening grade out girls field hockey is a strong program because of the coaches student athletes and parents support the program continues to grow year-over-year in terms of number of

players and Fin and financially I met with goac Foundation to gain a better understanding of the program's financials this year the team raised $2,323 which is the largest amount raised for this program since the establishment of goac during the 2020 and 2021 school year that's a 241 per increase through various fundraising activities all the hard work to raise funds has show has

allowed the team to pay for tournaments player recognition equipment scholarships each year during the 2023 2024 school year after raising $1,494 hard work and dedication allowed the team to purchase much needed new uniforms next season we'll start off with $238 in our goack account that's before fundraising starts these numbers do not reflect a struggling program by any

means in fact quite the opposite this is a program with dedicated coaches student athletes and parents working together to make it successful I ask that tvusd keep the girls field hockey program for all high school girls intact with Varsity JV and potentially freshman's teams let's find a way to offer female athletes both girls field hockey and girls flag

football thank you for your Jason good evening I apologize for my voice um my name is Melissa Palmer and I am a parent to two children a part of the tul Unified School District and additionally with that um I am a teacher and coach for field hockey at a nearby School District I just want to take a

moment to share how field hockey is impacted my life I started playing field hockey my freshman year of high school I was not an AP student I was not an IB student I had to work very hard and for me my goal was to go to college my best friend encouraged me to attend field hockey triy outs because I was a softball

player and that was going to help me keep in shape for my upcoming softball season I laughed at her and I said how's that a sport they wear skirts okay when I started playing field hockey as a left-handed individual if if you don't know field hockey is a predominantly right-handed side of your sport I realized that I loved it it challenged

me on both on an intellectual level and athletic level my sophomore year I quit softball realized that was boring to me because I knew everything that I needed to do to be successful on that field and I dedicated fulltime to being field hockey I am a first generation college graduate because I played field hockey my junior year of high school I was starting to be

recruited to play at the University of the Pacific in Stockton California the only way I got to attend college was through my athletic ability from a sport that I started my freshman year of high school very similar to many of the girls in this room I attended University of Pacific we bonded we sang the fight song after every game and if you ask me about

my high school experience my college experience I'm talking about my teammates one of which was Generations prior before me in this fairy room because she was a Pacific tiger years before I was and we sisters because of that program field hockey is the third highest female sport with the opportunity to be recruited for College field hockey from

a high school player to going off to playing NCAA Athletics is 12.2% the third highest sport in perspective one of the lower ones at 3.9% is volleyball from that 12% 3.3 go off and play NCAA division 1 in this room with me today you have former division one athletes and if you have a child or you tried that yourself you

know that the NCAA is a very tough world to figure out I don't know how many coaches that you have across other sports that have done that and championed that and beat that okay unfortunately if you look up University Pacific that program doesn't exist anymore because it was cut and every single one those players my former teammates they transferred and they went

elsewhere because they attended UOP to play hockey don't make these girls choose they are Fighters they are amazing individuals and as an opposing coach they are awesome and I respect them thank [Applause] you Jason by Carly good evening my name is Jason Payne and my daughter is a member of the Great Oak field hockey team first off I

want to thank you all who put this meeting together this is what transparency and respect look like and it's how this s situation should have been handled from day one but let's be honest it wasn't to those of you that had a hand in initial decision making and the way this was rolled out I have to say you should be ashamed of

yourselves you're supposed to be leaders and role models for our children and do you feel your actions oh do you feel like your actions are an example of good judgment and elevated leadership you became the example of what not to do we teach our kids basic values like treating others the way they want to be treated and yet this process here

ignored that completely decisions were made behind closed doors with no regard to people they affected most our players and their families who exactly planned this who thought it was okay to roll out the way it was done I'd like names because those individuals need to answer for Unnecessary stress and heartbreak they've caused this wasn't just a minor

oversight it was a failure that ripped through our community my daughter and her teammates didn't deserve to have their future thrown in thrown into chaos there has to be consequences for their actions the athletic directors and District administrators in particular dro the ball their job is to advocate for all of our kids to support their growth and wellbe beinging and instead

they were nowhere to be found when it mattered most that's not just disappointing it's incompetence uh one conversation I had with Coach Katie that really stuck with me it was the beginning of season she said told me her mission was just about wasn't just about winning games it's about giving these girls life skills that will carry them long after they

hang up their sticks she said I want them to leave this team knowing how to communicate how to lead how to pick pick themselves up when things get hard She's Not Just building a team she's shaping leaders who will carry those lessons into college careers and Beyond and they proved it tonight how they spoke here that is what's happening we should be

celebrating a program that elevates our district and for that reason I'm requesting that you reinstate this program fully without threat of phase out of a phase out plan thank you for your time good evening my name is Carly gray and first off as a parent I would like to say how impressed I am with how articulate these young people

are I am a mom of of six kids two who recently graduated from chapparel two Who currently attend chapparel and two who will be there in the next few years including a daughter who wants to play field hockey my high school students have participated in eight separate athletic programs at cherel one of my daughters is currently a freshman and

played on the field hockey team during The Fall season and she was absolutely devastated to hear about the decision to cut the program um it's a shame that the district has made this decision these girls have dedicated countless hours to learning the game practicing and developing their skills they were and are proud to represent Chael high school

and they did so with impressive positive attitudes despite less than desire desirable outcomes the points that have been presented as reasons to cut field hockey are not exclusive to this program we have been told that our athletes have to travel too far and as such lose too much classroom time just last week the district offered the girls lacrosse team

a bus to their scheduled away game and the athletes would have needed to be released from class at 5 at 10:00 a.m. for a 5:00 p.m game the bus offer was declined the district was willing to let these athletes Miss 5 hours of class time for one game the class time that was missed during field hockey wasn't

nearly that drastic and if you examine the academic records of the athletes you'll find that nearly every member of the chapparel team and obviously from great o TV TV as well nearly every member was a recipient of the scholar athlete award and their academic performance was not negatively impacted by their participation in field hockey a survey was sent out to all

female students grades 8 through 11 asking about their interest in flag football uh only about 100 responses were received from chapparel there's over 3,000 students at chapparel about 1,500 of them are female that's less than 10% of the female student body who responded which is not an accurate representation of interest because this survey specifically referenced flag football I suspect that not even all of

the girls who play field hockey and are directly impacted answered the survey not all athletes are interested in the same Sports the positive response to flag football has been high and that is great there is enough interest to have both Sports let's give more female athletes the opportunity to play and take pride in representing their schools not less thank

[Applause] you Amy hi everybody you got it thank you okay good evening everyone as you have already heard and will continue to hear tonight there are many emotions and concerns regarding the lack of transparency and decisions that have brought us together as a parent and a Community member the direction I would like to take tonight is one of

solutions we've received wonderful letter from the ad at Huntington Beach High School that I feel doesn't just not only provides solution but demonstrates a positive impact on female athletes as the athletic director of Huntington Beach High School I wanted to take a moment to share our experience of successfully offering both flag football and field hockey in the same season and

to express the importance of providing these opportunities to student athletes in your District as a at Huntington Beach High School we have seen firsthand how having both sports available allows more students especially female athletes to engage in competitive Athletics develop leadership skills and Foster school spirit since implementing both programs we have not only increased overall participation in athletic

departments but we've also witnessed the impact the positive impact these Sports have had on student engagement academic performance and teamwork while some may be concerned that offering both flag football and field hockey could divide participation our experience has shown the opposite by providing choices students feel empowerment they are able to pursue their athletic interests lead to Stronger more committed teams in both

Sports additionally flag football and field hockey attract different types of athletes ensuring that neither sport suffers from a lack of participation schools across the state and country are seeing similar success with this model furthermore from an equity standpoint allowing both Sports to coexist in the same season aligns with the mission of providing equal opportunities for all student athletes

with flag football growing rapidly as an emerging sport it is essential to give students the option to participate without limiting wellestablished programs such as field hockey I would be happy to discuss our program structure share best practice and provide insights on how we have made both thrive in our school I truly believe that offering both opportunities your district will

see growth and participation athletic success and overall student development to our ads it may be of benefit to take an opportunity now that this groundwork has been laid and established for you to connect professionally with Melissa and other ads like her to elevate our athletic programs within the Tula Valley School District Thank by hi my name is Amy hindra I'm a senior

at chapparel in the bar captain of the 2425 season and I would like to discuss the issues with phasing out the field hockey program and highlight its importance to the community it doesn't make sense to cut a growing program because what message does that send out to our community's youth that when something becomes tough we just give up

without exhausting every last effort to persevere cutting the field hockey team sends a negative message out to the community and limits opportunities for athletes in the area along a federal level the actions of dissolving the girls field hockey program protest against the fundamental goals and rights expressed by Title 9 in 1972 the actions of thousands of women 50 years ago have

fought for female rights beginning with the protection of women's sports the field hockey program has provided immense opportunities for women in Tula by dismantling the program our district is taking away these liberties from the female community over my years on the team alongside coach Handler and Coach Carter I have seen our numbers grow and recover after losing a majority of our

players due to graduation when looking at the 2425 season we only had a handful of returners however through recruitment we were able to increase our numbers to field a full team there was growing interest from high schoolers middle schoolers and the 79ers club that feeds players directly into the teams within the district I have helped coach mads

coach the players at 79ers and I see the growing interest talent and potential the middle schoolers who will be incoming freshman at the next within the next few years serve as an asset to the TV USD field hockey teams when discussing the sex success and talent of the program is crucial to note the accomplishments of past and present

players within the program multiple girls have trained on the Olympic development team Nexus played on the HTC team as well as had players go D1 and D2 field hockey has provided its players with an extensive range of opportunities beyond the sport it Fosters multiport athletes by enhancing crucial skills as well as open doors for personal growth for every player personally speaking

field hockey is instilled in me the value of accountability leadership discipline and resilience I do believe that it is possible that the implementation of girls flag football and beach volleyball can simultaneously coexist in a positive manner with the field hockey program field hockey offers a community that is unmatched to any other sport although many of us are on

different teams the three teams in the district are not only a community but a family we come together for games the sense of camaraderie and uplift is intoxicating and should never be taken away I am a senior and this decision ultimately has no effect on my ability to play but it is so so hurtful and disappointing to watch the sport that I

am so passionate about be taken away from girls who care just as much as I do on behalf of all the athletes here today I plead please save the field hockey program thank you hi good evening my name is Steve press over here is my daughter Brio she's a freshman on the Great Oak team also joining us is her older sister another

concerned student athlete and my wife Sally a former field hockey player herself girls just speeches tonight have just they've been awesome thank you this is just an incredible group of young women aren't these the type of athletes we should be encouraging and fighting for they truly represent the Future Leaders of our community as Dr Anderson alluded to in her opening comments board

members when you took the oath of office you pledged to uphold the laws and act in the best interest of the students in this District as a further reminder under California Education Code section 35179 paragraph a this board has the explicit authority over intercol inter Scholastic Athletics the law states that and I'll quote each School District governing

board shall have General control of and and be responsible for all aspects of the interner Scholastic athletic policies programs and activities in its District including but not limited to eligibility season of sport number of sports personnel and sports facilities in other words this board has the power to disregard the district's opinion it has the power to ensure the

future viability of the program The Authority is yours it is not something that must be granted to you it is already written into state law these young women have been done a huge Injustice they deserve your support furthermore and more importantly they deserve your vote a vote to disregard the misguided opinion of the administration the opinion that suggests

that women's field hockey should be phased out you have the authority and the privilege to make this right and that's exactly all we're here asking you to do let's get the appropriate motion on the record let's cast a vote and let's do right by these girls and future generations of student athletes thank [Applause] you Neil good evening my name is Ellie

Durkin I'm a freshman at gr Oak and I'd like to talk about the I would like to explain how this acronym mean I would like to explain what this acronym means to us respect no matter the outcome of any game we would come off the field smiling and laughing at silly mistakes we made on the field as we got ready to

go high five the other team excellent our team has always strived for excellence never stopping at mediocre even good positivity our team has always been a positive environment making practice a place for me to go after i' for me to go to after after I've had a bad day to put a smile on my face and make me laugh with my teammates and

coaches endurance every day we would go and not only build our endurance physically but mentally when challenging ourselves to train until we physically can't anymore or we would have to wake up at 5 a.m. for a practice at 6:00 a.m. before school we would strive for our best no matter how tired we were accountability when our team had when

our team had a bad game we would sit and talk about it after the game and take accountability for our mistakes and help improve as a player and a team in future games and practices teamwork our team will forever work together on the field and off the field whether whether someone's had a bad day forgot snacks shorts on game day or simply needed

someone to hang out with at lunch and talk to our team would always be there for each other as you can tell field hockey is more than a sport to a lot of us we have created a family within this team I've played several other sports from my high school and I've never felt so included and loved by a group of

girls I remember my first day ever playing it was summer training I was so scared I wasn't going to know anyone but I wasn't I was so scared scared I wasn't going to know anyone or be able to make friends on the team but the second I sat down to put on my gear all the girls started talking to

me and making me feel so included after that practice I went home so excited to tell my parents everything knowing that this soon was going to be my favorite sport and favorite group of girls to be around after this season I felt so excited to reunite them reunite with them as a team and start training again so by limiting the sport you're not only

taking away the opportunity for me and the current girls playing you're ruining it for future girls these girls have spent years playing leading up to high school if this program is cut those girls will never get a chance to play and will never earn a potential scholarship so by taking away field hockey you're not just taking away a sport you're tearing apart a

family and destroying my opportunity to potentially earn a scholarship so if you care about this group of girls you too will help save the sport that means so much to all of us thank you for your time you hello board and uh everyone thank you for your time today we really appreciate the opportunity to speak to you um I came up here with a pretty long

list of things I wanted to talk about but I actually think that all these amazing young women have done such an amazing job that us parents don't really need to say much here they're doing the job for us so I'm going to stop now and let them take over and continue to fight the battle for [Applause] themselves good evening my name is Lura

hearnen and I'm a current sophomore at Tula Valley High School I've been playing field hockey for two years now and I must admit I had no idea what I was doing when I first joined this program has meant the world to me for the past two years I've made so many memories and Friends throughout the program the past two years I've grown so

much as a person and developed a passion for the sport that words cannot describe to many of us field hockey is more than just a sport it's a part of our life I've played many other sports but nothing has compared to field hockey with the potential end of pro of the program um POS or it poses a

threat to the future sports especially for girls who like like me who plan to play field hockey in college if the program were to end it would mean missing out on my Junior and Senior year of playing that would be a huge disappointment for me and risk the chances about college beyond the sport itself the support I've received from

this program has been invaluable the it's taught me how to stay strong and resilient during during tough times the friendships I've made and the memories I've created will always be a part of my high school experience the passion on my team has made going to practice on those summer mornings not so bad the support everyone has shown me makes me want to

give it my all the end of the sport would hurt many people in so many ways field hockey holds a special place in my heart not just because of the things I've I've said above but also because the incredible experience it offers it's been an amazing part of my life and I can't imagine my future without playing

field hockey thank you we are going take minute and we will I think this is on yeah okay okay uh my name is uh Jim Dale um I was the uh varsity field hockey coach at Tula Valley until a couple of weeks ago um I was let go when they decided to get rid of field hockey um the day before we

were going to recruit um I can quickly sum up this debate um some of the key elements our girls have GPA over 4.1 on average almost all of them earn scholar Awards this is across the district um they're all competitive including five playoff births among the schools uh loaded uh with against teams that are loaded with division one players a bunch

who go to college uh we have a lot of girls who have won all Sunset League Awards number of athletes playing in college on scholarships we have one here tonight um a mix of players forming a team that beat the top teams in San Diego for the indoor field hockey championship a couple weeks ago we have more than 120 girls who are committed to

play in the fall and all of them wanted to play field hockey and they also want flag football at their sites but they don't want to play flag football that's for other players these are fantastic girls as you are hearing so far not just terrific athletes and across this District everybody here We Are Family whether we go to TV Great Oak or shap We

are family and let me illustrate how important this idea of family is um and if this gets to me you know please forgive me um on May 20th 2022 my 23-year-old daughter died in her sleep I was subbing at TV when I got the call and rushed home my field hockey girls immediately started texting me hope asking me if everything was okay of

course it wasn't on the following Monday I went back to subit TV and the girls found me I have to be honest here too they're taking some heat and things like this um but there is somebody over here um that's Anthony who came and found me and talked me talked with me about a lot of things I'll never forget

that the girls found me a couple told me they went and saw counselors some of the counselors came and talked to me um and some of the these girls had never met my daughter they never had they just knew that because she was my daughter that they're connected later that day they came to my house with a bunch of restaurant uh gift

cards from parents a plant that amazingly is still alive knowing that our track record of growing plants inside is hideous and a card signed by all the players every single one of them with comments there wasn't just like sorry a name it was comments it's one of my most treasured possessions some of the girls who signed it didn't

even know me yet they had simply heard how great field hockey was and they wanted to play in the fall I gave Great Oak Coach Katie's daughter who's really the the actual coach Olivia one of my daughter stuffed animals a giraffe and she still plays with it to this day we are close to each other this is a great great program across the

board you can see how the girls have been tonight the way they've reacted to this unfair misguided attempt to kill a sport that we all love I can give you a factual and logical answer to everything that the ads have stated about killing the sport the big thing is how can we tell our female athletes that they met

are less than someone in another sport one that is not even started yes yes um these fantastic athletes who we all love and observe we want to keep playing field hockey thank [Applause] you hello thank you for letting me speak again my name is Kendall Gan and I am a sophomore at tvhs this year was my first

year playing field hockey and I would never want it to be my last I was on Varsity this year and by the time the season ended I couldn't imagine my life without it I've played soccer my whole life until I decided I wanted to focus more on field hockey for me soccer was not as fun or as welcoming as field

hockey has ever been so After High School field hockey season I decided I wanted to continue playing even if I had soccer every day the week because of high school so I started working my hardest by myself when no one saw and even joined an indoor team with pretty much only people from Great Oak although they were my rivals I made so many great

friends and felt so welcomed field hockey is such a safe place for me now and I'm so glad I joined it I've met my best friends here and I'm so so thankful I know multiple girls with the skills and desire to play in college and playing in college without a high school season is hard especially for field

hockey there are not very many good clubs near us so taking it away so taking High School season away just takes away so much over for all I went to play in college and I've just started the recruitment process and the first thing I was asked was for my high school coach's information but what am I supposed to do if I will no longer have

one what if the students and the athletes that are just now starting that don't even get high school coached if we cancel this what are they going to do the coaches that I've had and currently have now as well as the peers I have around me have helped me develop myself into a better person and I've become more involved in the the school

overall I've kept up my grades as straight A's while playing two other sports and I am also an ASB and I was just nominated for a president position for ASB managing my time with all these things have made me more likely to succeed in college and in the workforce many other girls I play with maintain great grades as well overall

field hockey has been one of the best and most memorable parts of my life and I do not want that taken from me thank you good evening board members I just want to say thank you for your time and closer usually I'm so loud that I don't need a mic um so good evening board members I just want to tell you thank

you for your time and coming out and listening to this community but as you see tonight this is not just a community this is a family whether we're talking about Great Oak TV or shop they are all family they are all here to together I have a whole speech prepared but really everything I have to say has pretty much

been said there's a consensus tonight the whole feeling of how everybody feels um I will tell you my daughter for the first time never played field hockey until this year we have always been a soccer and mountain bike family when she came home and said I want to try field hockey we were like you want to do what

we had never seen the sport we knew nothing about it but we have two daughters we always want to encourage them to try something new especially within in sports and we're like okay go ahead and try it little did we know that in the span of less than a month that this sport was going to take over her

heart of soccer that she has played since she was six and of mountain biking that she has done since fourth grade and the community and girl worked with them and taught them there are very few Sports within our district that a girl who has never played a sport can make a team you're not going to make that in

soccer you're not going to do that in volleyball and you're not going to do that in softball yet field hockey gives him that opportunity to come out and be part of his Sisterhood to be a part of this great community and have these memories that they're going to build through high school and continue on for life now I'm going to give you a few

facts some of these facts you've already heard like the fact that field hockey is the third highest um percentage of players that go on to play in college and that's only behind ice hockey which we're not going to have in Southern California and Lacrosse and in 2022 the average scholarship for a field hockey player was $119,000 that is huge with the cost of

college these days in California Stanford UC Berkeley and UC Davis all have field hockey teams in 200 sorry I lost my spot on my notes so what happens when you go off the cuff um field hockey is continuing to grow and that's evident as in Michigan High School State athletic association recently approved their inaugural field hockey season for the upcoming 2526

school year in 2024 Penn State along with other colleges had their inaugural seasons and in 2025 for additional colleges will have their inaugural seasons and there are numerous other colleges in discussions to add to their ad field hockey programs and this is on top of the 288 schools already please allow these girls to continue and have these opportunities

thank you for your [Applause] time hello board how are you tonight thank you for your time and uh giving us the opportunity to speak um these girls are pretty much said at all so I'm going just going to keep mine short and sweet I just wanted to talk from a perspective as a father of one of the

players on my team and also from the coaching role on the team from my perspective as a parent the importance of continuing the field hockey program in the district is vital for my daughter's social growth her developing leadership skills and the belonging to something bigger than just her own independence as a parent I have seen her make new lasting friendships take on

challenging responsibilities that P her out of her comfort zone only to flourish when put to the test without Field Hockey being offered at her school she would not have chosen a sport to play during her four years in high school and these experiences and friendships would have never happened as a parent that makes me very sad and as I

know there are many other girls out there that have been in and will be in this same scenario without Field Hockey being offered as a sport it takes away an opportunity for the girls to challenge themselves grow as a team and make lifelong friendships on and off the field as a coach for the team I cannot emphasize enough the challenges and

changes in leadership ability personal ownership and positive morale that these ladies build with being on the team they are excuse me they are one when they step out onto the field and they play with passion and heart for the sport they love to see firsthand every player's personal growth and sense of Pride that this sport brings to them

it's inspiring to witness even as their coach if the field hockey program is not offered at our schools these students will likely not have the opportunity to take what they work so hard for for many of years and apply it at the college level if given the opportunity this wonderful sport of field hockey is an outlet for students

to become athletes and to Foster their school's Pride this they will not only become a better version of themselves but they will also Inspire younger players coming into the high school level to do so please do not take this away from the girls at a crucial development time and their lives thank you for your time and please save our Tula field hockey

hi my name is meline stor is most of the girls know me coach mads I am the head coach at 79 field hockey under director Tiffany hughman who is a former Olympian and who established the TV program I began playing field hockey in middle school then played in high school and I remember when Great Oak finally added a

team we were stoked finally I played division 2 field hockey in college at Millersville University where I competed in two final four tournaments I was also with 79 and Tiffany when we began to train and familiarize the first shopall field hockey coach nll trout I began coaching for 79 in 2017 during my summmer home while in college

I coach alongside Tiffany and Katie gerin current gr Oak head coach I currently coach alongside players from Great Oak and Cha since 2017 we have had a consistent athlete base including both girls and boys we've hosted youth camps skills sessions and gameplay sessions we've also hosted preseason prep camps for high schoolers in the area and have had almost 40 local high schoolers for a

single 3-day camp at each camp we always throw out that field hockey is the third most popular sport in the world only after soccer and Cricket it always blows their minds at the Youth Level now we have a consistent group of 15 Middle School girls eager to play in high school that play in every single session we offer

that's in addition to the kids that come to try it out out many of whom keep coming back 79 field hockey is the feeder program to Great Oak TV and Chap and their success is our success for the Youth of the Tula Valley if you're a former current 79er can you raise your hand so we have seniors in high school

girls that graduated and even Eevee are one of our youngest I've had a unique field hockey experience by getting to be on every side of the ball player coach and ref I'm a field hockey ref for TV USD and it is a great pleasure to see all the past 79 players grow into strong and capable young women field hockey has changed my

life the life of the people in this room and I hope the lives of many more to come thank [Applause] you hi my name is Katie Miner I'm an eighth grader at James L Day Middle School thank you for for allowing me to speak today I'm not in high school playing on a team yet so I have a little

bit of a different point of view I've been playing field hockey for over 3 years with the 79ers I fell in love with the sport on day one and I knew that this was going to be the sport that I was going to play in high school over the last three years I've given up many opportunities to learn and play other

sports in order to dedicate my time to field hockey because I know I knew field hockey was what I wanted to play in high school when my mom told me the news that the shael field hockey team was being discontinued I was heartbroken and angry so much time I spent playing and so much so much excitement I built built up in

anticipation of joining the Sha team was gone in a second I'm disappointed that this decision was made without the girls like me taken into consideration the ones who have been excited to play this sport in high school and who haven't had the chance to fully embrace the sport and show how great they can be and I want to add I never received the flag

football survey email that was supposedly sent out I didn't get the chance to have my voice heard how many other girls didn't receive it and weren't taken into account I have absolutely zero interest in playing flag football one should not equal the other the fact that the decision was made thinking our desires to play sport are completely interchangeable and that we'd

be pleased to Simply switch and start playing football is pretty insulting I don't understand why we can't just add another girl sports team to shop rather than taking an established team away I really hope you take this to heart and reconsider so I can achieve my dream of playing field hockey for shappell high school thank you I'm Riley McDougall and I'm very

thankful for the opportunity to speak today I'm a freshman at Tula Valley high school and I played varsity field hockey this past year as an athlete I've always loved playing sports but this sport was different I've been involved in some sort of Team since I was 3 years old but I've never experienced anything quite like this between the karaoke during the

bus rides the dance breaks at practices the laughs during dinner and everything in between I've never loved A Team quite like I love this one even during the long days at school the difficult tests and the failed friendships there was always field hockey it was a place where I belonged a place where I knew my worth and a place

where I found myself we were more than just a team we were a family to end this sport would be to tear our family apart no more bus rides no more karaoke No More dance breaks and definitely no more laughter together as a team we have been through thick and thin and made it out alive thanks to each other the younger

years in Generations should have the same opportunities we did don't take that away from them please don't let this be the end thank you Kim uh my name is my name is Olivia good evening members of the board and staff my name is Olivia I'm a seventh grade honor rooll student at day middle and have been playing field hockey for the 79ers since

I was in first grade I am here to ask you to reconsider phasing out of girls field hockey at chaperel High School and tvusd for over six years I have had the privilege to participate in the 70 uniters field hockey program through the city of Tula after trying out many sports over the years from swim to volleyball I keep coming back to field

hockey because this is a community where all girls are accepted and celebrated we are strong resilient smart independent and highly skilled field hockey players this sport allows us to grow both on the field and off the field I have had the honor to grow my skills thanks to my coaches who played the sport in college and the

Olympics in my time with 79ers I have I have learned skills that helped me grow on and off the field I I came into the sport as a very shy six-year-old and I was welcomed into the sport by teammates and coaches who were invested in making us better students and players I better students and players I am stronger more

outspoken confident and a very good player because of field hockey we play with kids of all ages from kindergarten to 8th grade my little sister has played for us since she was in kindergarten and learned the game very quickly because we all work together as a community I have seen the middle school girls who I once looked up to as a six-year-old move on

to play at shaol high school and in college I am now one of the older or players who our 79ers look up to for support and learning the game it has been my goal for the past years to play for chapol high school to wear that to wear that green and blue uniform and play on the field that I pass every

day when I go to and from school please do not take away this program don't take away our community don't take away our chance to play for our high schools and continue the legacy of amazing field hockey players in Tula we do not do enough for the girl girls Sports in this school district we need your help to

grow field hockey and not to take it away introduce field hockey for PE classes start in elementary school work with the city to create a midle school league I urge you to rethink how this will impact field hockey and the girls Sports at Chael what message are we sending to girls sports teams if we take away field hockey we have been we have

amazing programs at shop thanks to great coaches and parents who step up to play fair to to pay for fair share and drive players two two away games if these girl sports teams can do can do this then we can do the same for girls field hockey please do not take away one sport to introduce another I have no interest in

playing flag football it's not in the Olympics and we can't get a scholarship for Powderpuff football field hockey is an Olympic sport field hockey is played at thousands of schools and 300 colleges in the US don't take away our sport our community and our chance to be play to be playing in college or the Olympics please support us and our future thank

you for your time good evening thank you for the opportunity to talk my name is Kim gerin my story is similar to most of these girls I played High School I started when I was a sophomore in San Diego I played at College University of Pacific as well um I coached at two different universities division one to take the opportunity away from

those girls stinks if it comes down to field space or budget or whatever let's teach these kids that we figure it out not to quit not to take the easy way out when I coached at Missouri State we had one turf field one we had division one Field Hockey division one football Division one men's soccer division one

women's soccer we had baseball practicing off season we had band we figured it out we shared a field if that's the issue let's figure it out let's teach these girls not to take the easy way out let's not talk about just giving them back their sport but the longevity of this sport look at this community to cut it and not to have it

go on in the future is ridiculous thank you good evening and thank you for being here um I stand before you as a parent of one of the students and I'm horrified by the actions and decision that was taken sport has given me some of the best experiences in my life I coached from Grassroots right through the

professional level that was in soccer football as I knew it these girls have college opportunities scholarships available to them by comparison to a sport that does not I'm not denying or saying there shouldn't be flag football but why you would take a successful program where you can see all the traits and characteristics that these girls have highlighted tonight and spoken

about nothing but a positive experience mind boggles me absolutely mind boggles me after 19 years in Ireland we when I when I moved here my wife and daughter field hockey was unknown to us and through the 79ers who deserve a lot of credit like I think all the ladies will agree every girl that's got up and me mentioned the 79ers hasn't

been from one school they've been from all the schools and I think that's great credit to the cooperation that goes on between the schools and with the 79ers you've heard coach Kim you've heard coach Katie you heard coach H mads all speak up about what they witness but I just want to get I want to take the last

minute and a half just to speak about my daughter's growth her strength of character right her ability to take criticism and observation has grown several fold to be able to be critiqued and not take it personal realizing it's my coach giving me the best information that is available it helps them mature these kids experienced Co very very badly and were denied a lot of

school time and coming in off the back of that very shortly afterwards it wasn't a great deal of time a lot of these girls who are freshman came in not knowing each other and yelled instantly and I can tell you as a parent nothing made me prouder to watch the development my daughter in that time it was

incredible she's confident she's now getting herself out to ID camps for college she still has a year to go in high school that's the power of what this sport can do Sports and have done here I know how these systems work there will not be a penny coming to the school district I promise you it will all be

private clubs all private clubs and if you think that's how you send a message to these ladies for the commitment and time that they put in to a sport that they genuinely love I stand here as a parent tonight to tell you you're mistaken that's my Sophia hello my name is Afton Robbins and I was a 2024 high school graduate

from gr from gr Oak High School I played field hockey for three years and I've been in love with the sport ever since coach Katie first taught me how to play with Great Oak Field Hockey providing me with an experience that I'll never forget because of this program and the opportunities it gave me I now play division 2 field hockey at Millersville

University across the country in Pennsylvania while many parents and players have come up here tonight and touched on many many similar topics I hope you do not take our Advocate advocacies as redundancies I hope you take them as proof and recognition on how impactful the field hockey programs throughout the entire value are to each and every individual when coming home

for my spring break a few days ago I did not expect to be fighting for my sport alongside countless others just for it to stay in circulation while I was told that this was happening by an old teammate and Coach Katie I was beyond shocked and honestly I'm furious since my sophomore year of high school and continuing through my Junior and Senior

year the entire Valley has been fighting for the program and it has been paying off the great Oakfield hockey program has more than doubled since my first year playing and more interest and awareness for the sport is still increasing so why cut field hockey the reasons the tvsd board members may have for justifying cutting the sport frankly

I think are ridiculous you would not be you would only be getting you would not be just getting rid of the community friendships and Sport as a whole but you would be and have been respecting disrespecting the time effort opportunities skill commitment and passion that all the young girls playing field hockey in this Valley have without this program I wouldn't be playing field

hockey in college I wouldn't have achieved my goals and most importantly I wouldn't have learned or still be playing a sport I most passionate about so please do not even start to deny the chance that some girls may have to achieve similar goals to mine I more than urge you to keep field hockey as a program in Great Oak Tula Valley and

Chael high schools in order to allow these girls to play the sport you're limiting current high schoolers with this notion as well as cutting off future high schoolers the simple opportunity to pick a sport they may be wanting to hello my name is Sophia and I've been playing field hockey for two seasons now when I first moved to Chael I was

searching for a way to feel comfortable at my new school I wanted to be part of something a team a community that's when I was introduced to field hockey Not only was it a sport that welcomed me with open arms but it was also a team that supported one another in ways I had have never experienced before I had no experience when I joined

I didn't know how to hold a stick properly let alone play but that didn't matter my teammates and coaches took me in and taught me everything there was to know with patience and encouragement field hockey gave me a sense of belonging and a team hearing that field hockey may be cut from the district is concerning as it would take away

opportunities for current and future students who may be looking for the same sense of community and support that I found it is important that we continue to invest in all sports including those that may not always receive as much attention ensuring that programs like field hockey remain available sends a positive message that every sport and every student athlete matters Thank

good evening my name is Journey Brutus and on behalf of chapparel field hockey I plead with you to keep field hockey alive in Tula After figuring out sports during my freshman and sophomore year finally when it came to junior year I found my sport after dealing with hard challenging Sports I finally found an inclusive one after dealing with the

coach that referred to me and the girls that looked like me as loud and aggressive after being in the back of a line disregarding my hard work and talent due to the color of my skin and after going through three coaches in one sport I found field hockey the one where my coach did not refer to me as loud and

aggressive but as most team-spirited and kind a sport where my coach worked with me and gave me the playing time I deserved a sport where my coach coach Brian allowed me to fall in love with the sport and Surround and be surrounded in a more comfortable sport environment than I have ever known not only did chaero field hockey provide me with

close friends allow me to focus on my academics more and improve me as a player it also gave me an escape which I believe most girls here probably feel the girls on my team made a home and although my team is the heart of the sport to me we also played against amazing schools that are here today

although we are we are all competitive and it was extremely fun to play against these other girls not once have I ever felt uncomfortable playing against them or with them and to take a sport away just to make another one work should not not be the only way we should work together to keep a strong Community going again I urge you to look outside

of the scope of just Tula this is a pathway that goes further than just us it provides scholarships schools and most importantly an expressive sport for those who may feel out of place like I once felt this is not just a game to the woman in this room it's an expression of Peace talent and fun please show

kindness to this Sport and please save Tula field hockey Thank Daniel well uh that was my daughter that's a hard act to follow um did not know that that was her speech uh my name is Dr Angel Brutus I come to you as a Sport parent but I also come to you as a professional who has worked in the

sports space for decades I've worked at the Collegiate level I work at the Olympic level and my very first exposure to field hockey as a sport was at the PanAm games a couple of years ago in Santiago Chile lo and behold a couple of years later I'm at home sitting at my front office and my daughter comes in

and says by the way I've signed up for field hockey lo and behold I didn't even know it existed so I thank the young women in this room for helping the adults in this room to learn something learning something from you has been a pleasure and regardless of the decisions that are made just know that field hockey itself is constantly fighting for

a voice constantly fighting for its existence even at the Olympic level so what you're doing here today speaks volumes and as Journey has politely said this is beyond TV this is beyond sha this is beyond Great Oak this is beyond Tula Valley period the fact that we are hosting a home games in 28 and Tula is in the backdrop for equestrian what

better platform for us to use than to have Olympic represented Sports here today I will give the rest of the time back to the kids thank by hello Council uh to m k Community uh you know I just actually learned about this today um but I thought it was important enough to be here tonight um and I asked myself the

question you know why is it that girls sports are always on the chopping block uh it's been that way since I've been in high school and it's still that way today um seems that women constantly have to fight for equality they constantly have to fight for equal access and uh you know for my daughter uh and the rest of these girls in this

room I want a community that I live in that I invest in uh to be more than that and uh I think it was important for uh my wife and I to come up here today and kind of share some of our uh share some of our views so our daughter is planning to play field hockey next year she tried

several Sports before she found one that fit her skill set ever since then she's been participating with the 79ers here locally and also in San Diego she's been coached by coach Tiffany coach mads coach Kristen um along with several of the other young ladies in this room she has um been preparing to play in high school this entire time taking this

valued sport away is going to prevent many girls not just my daughters but many other girls in our own Community from pursuing their dreams at the collegate and even Olympic level their opportunities are going to vanish if you don't continue the sport um in our community this is not something that this board should facilitate you should be promoting opportunities for women and

um not eradicating them I strongly encourage the board to keep the field hockey program for the girls uh who are currently participating as well as for the ones who have been training since they were young to participate when they enter High School I think just one last note um and I know you have a very difficult job very difficult right

um flag football at the end of the day it's something that we play in PE it's something that we play recreationally Thanksgiving it it's not a sport it's a recreational activity what you guys do is is a sport right what you built the community that you built together that's a sport There's real value in that don't forget

that right that's what you're here fighting for tonight that's why we're here to support [Applause] you thank you to all of you guys for spending the time to be here um I a single mother of two so I know how much time is worth and how valuable it is and and our daughters have been fighting every single day for this Sport with

school with homework with reports with crappy parents that are not happy and are exhausted because we live the sports life and for us to not show up for them is not okay and for you guys not to choose them is not okay so I will devote as much time as I possibly can for these girls because I was alone for many years

taking care of myself taking care of my kids and not knowing how to ask for help and with Coach Ryan and his family he took us in and took my child as his own they deserve this and we're going to keep fighting so whether it if it if this doesn't happen we don't lose faith and we're going to keep fighting so I

just want to tell everybody don't give up we got [Applause] this hello I'm kot Maharaj I'm a sophomore at chaperel high school that was my mom um although I've only been playing field hockey for one season it really has truly changed me I came from Sports such as tennis um MMA and track and these Sports as as most

know are Solo sports with field hockey I've learned H how to have a team collaborate with others and to talk to new groups I may still be pretty shy but I learned that not everyone knows what you are thinking and what you want unless you communicate although you may think that this sport is unneeded it is very important to us players it has

Changed Me by getting rid of the sport you will be telling us that our our sport experiences friendships and money is worth nothing on top of on top of all of this I have myself have medical issues that affect my balance coordination and brain As We Know Field Hockey is L largely running and download sorry down low sport this sport

has helped me deeply with all these issues I don't SM struggle as much with simple tasks such as walking I can run and coordinate a ball I can do things I didn't think i' I'd ever be able to do removing the sport brings a risk in me having all these symptoms come back so please reconsider for all of us thank you

[Applause] okay we are going to move on to board comments and that is uh three minutes a piece and we are going to begin with uh Dr kroski hi everybody just want to oh thank you just want to thank everybody for coming here especially the students your warriors and your Fighters and I heard your voice one week I'm just sitting

there playing chess the next week all I can do is think about field hockey all week long because of those emails I read all of them I think I've responded to all of them there might have been a few that slipped I'm very proud of you for organizing and fighting for what you believe in I heard your voice I'm also

proud of the parents for sicking up for your daughters so with that I'm going to come in and just say these are the things that I some of the things that I heard tonight that are highlights and then I'm going to have my ask of the superintendent and the rest of the board and I'm only one voice but first thing I

want to say is to all the young women in here you don't have to fight for your sport anymore I'm going to fight for you and pull that burden off of you don't worry about fighting it let me fight some of the things I heard tonight and I loved was my jersey is number 28 we of one voice no sport should be

sacrificed for others especially a girl sport amen I feel like tvusd doesn't care about me that is really really sad the fact that we have to be here tonight on a school night to hear this is disgraceful and one of our one of our values is care it I just don't believe that the district showed that they cared

when it felt like this sport was being steamrolled so I'm your Advocate and I know it might have been an oversight for the district but I just don't want that to happen happen again um because we'll have this again we don't want this again we don't want to waste their precious time so some of the other things I heard

uh my heartstrings from uh Mrs um Madison Payne my sister you when your sister was speaking on your behalf or you were speaking on your sister's half pulled on my heart Springs I'm afraid you'll cut the sport the things you know 24 1% of the hard dedication to raise the money you know they are Fighters I'd love to read off all these quotes cuz I

wanted to but I don't have enough time Journey when you said I plead for you to keep this field hockey alive how about alive and well it's going to be one of my ask I want it to [Applause] flourish here's my ass I want the girls field hockey to continue indefinitely in TVD at gr Oak High School chapparo high

school and TV to viy high school for Varsity JV and possible freshman until the board can decides otherwise this also relates to the California Ed code thank you to the young man who read it off 35179 I won't read it my second ask I want the immediate reinstatement of Coach Jim Dale at tul VI High School and Brian Carter at

chapparel high school tomorrow not next week tomorrow these girls need a coach because it's not just a community it's family I heard what you said through all the emails I want an email marketing campaign sent to all the middle schools who H who lost that recruiting possibility at chaero high school and Tula vile high school and Great Oak High

School because those coaches were fired a day before that's shameful I want more funding at these three schools they've raised a lot of money from what I know it was 26,000 to keep these Sports alive in a year I think we can do that and I want that to happen Okay thank you Emil for allowing me the

few extra seconds I want to see a few hockey games coming up can't [Applause] wait wow thanks Jo uh from the time I heard got the first email from coach deal I believe it was where are you right I try to answer everyone if I didn't get to your emails I'm really sorry I try to answer everyone from the

first email I got I was opposed to cancelling this program I want all of you to know that I heard what you had to say some of the important words teamwork Community compassion support family growth Gateway to College leadership and friendship I know how important this sport is to you young ladies it is women's history month and would be a

shame in women's history month if we denied you young ladies the opportunity to grow and to continue in your sport and we will not let that happen thank [Applause] you we see you we appreciate you we're fighting for you and there's Beauty in the struggle and I have a different point of view about tonight I don't see

it as a waste of time because it's the journey that grows who you young ladies are so to see your community come together and Advocate and to encourage one another and to be on social media and to talk about your mission and to come to the mic tonight and talk You've Won none of this was a waste of time

because this is beautiful when we get together and say what can we do to further our young women's lives and their Sports and what they believe in never never stop fighting for what you believe in women's sports and spaces have to be protected they have to be fought for and there's great joy in doing so in fact for me a highlight of

the month was driving down to Kit Carson and meeting up with Jim and talking to the parents and getting a hockey stick in my hand looking like a dork but it was so fun just to interact and learn more and take the time to see these beautiful people come together and and play and man some of you girls got hit

that day for what you believe in and Athletics gives you that opportunity so thank you to the um to the parents thank you to the coaches it's been uh just an awesome thing I think for each board member here to be a part of it and I also want to recognize our ads and the people that perhaps made a decision that

got lost sometimes in adulting there's bureaucracy that goes and it's not that you're not seen but that's why we're here and I think each one of us are for you I believe that in each one here in this District we are for you we want to see you grow and learn and be passionate and be exactly who you're meant to be so

thank you for sharing tonight I was so impressed with how articulate each of you are I have been moved so thank you [Applause] ladies parents community members your passion for girls hockey is evident simultaneously maintaining high GPA Stellar academic performance and your dedication to the sport is impressive you are worthy I don't know who said that out

there but that's what got I think it was you you are worthy and you are powerful and your sense of family is very evident and I do not want to take that away um you have fought here valiantly and diplomatically which is very important um I do want to make a comment from the prior board meeting and

you had all left and there was a there was a parent who made the statement the success of the programs in our a the success of our athletic programs at tvusd is a result of the passion and hard work of both parents and coaches and I'm new um but I came from the high school environment so that was a really good reminder for me

because I since being here I've been so focused on academics and now this athletic issue has come before me so parents coaches um all of us working together um is is very important and it's a reminder that uh that I needed in order to move forward and uh to the gentleman who asked for accountability we are learning from our

processes in all kinds of areas throughout the district so I just want to let you know that I heard you okay and with that I would like to make a motion I move to continue to offer girls hockey at tvusd as we have done so historically do I have a second I have an added to the motion the reinstatement immediately of

those two coaches more funding for the program a marketing campaign sent to the middle schools I don't want I want a very specific motion a robust stand for these young girls right that okay okay second okay all right so I'm not sure what that means specifically but I do hear you okay and I think the superintendent hears you down yeah lene

will write it down we we I got you okay because I'm not sure what all of that means it's it's it's for it's for the superintendent and uh our business support services people to to figure all of this out but we are behind you we've heard your voices we want to we're g to we're making this motion

to bring this back as it has been done so historically which means of course if there are players there are coaches so everyone will be back together again exactly exactly okay so I have a second okay is there anyone here who is opposed no doesn't look like it let's make it official okay so let's call rooll Len go ahead and call the RO let's

make it official yes where yes okay so the motion the motion the motion passes 4 to zero okay so now let's celebrate I'm going to adjourn the meeting okay so this meeting is adjourned this 756 this meeting is adjourned today Tuesday March 10th at 7:56 let's have cake and let's have a sandwich thank you everybody okay