YMCA sports leagues not biased

I read a recent negative letter to the editor concerning the Triunfo YMCA's girl's basketball program. A mother was upset that her daughter wasn't on a co-ed team. I wanted to give my positive perspective.

My daughter joined the YMCA league earlier this year. There are about 18 girls who play on two allgirl teams. My daughter loves it, and all of the girls are having a great time of it, and are learning skills, teamwork and sportsmanship.

These all-girl teams are made up of quite an age range, from firstthrough third-grade. There are differing abilities and there's quite a range of differing weights and heights, too. But everyone plays in every game and all are having fun.

The negative letter accused the Y of gender bias. I think that's silly. The Y offers both boys and girls a chance to play, just not on a combined team.

Frankly, it seems obvious to me that a third-grade boy who is heavier, taller, more aggressive and perhaps has more experience would easily overpower a firstor secondgrade girl, and neither the boy nor the girl would benefit. The boy wins such faceoffs easily, and the girl just gets defeated over and over.

While I understand and even applaud the "girls can do anything boys can" approach, a 60-pound 9year-old boy with a 6-inch height advantage is going to stuff a 40pound 7-year-old girl every time.

The Y's approach is neither an overt nor a hidden gender-biased thing.

If this mom is intent on seeing her daughter mix it up in sports with the boys, she needs to find an outlet that enables her to do that. But to accuse the YMCA of perpetuating gender bias seems way off base to me. Rob Jordan Agoura Hills