Chelsea Mitchell of Canton, Connecticut, deserves equal opportunities to compete and win in sports.
Opening more opportunities in education and athletics for girls like Chelsea was the very reason Congress passed a federal law known as Title IX back in 1972.
A gifted athlete and hard worker, Chelsea relishes the opportunities given to her. She competes in both track and soccer and has been recognized for her excellence in both. But running is Chelsea’s true passion. As a high school sophomore, she won three Connecticut Class S state championships in outdoor track and field.
“It was the best day of my life,” recalls the high school senior. But that moment would become bittersweet. Because, despite her natural talent, Chelsea knew that she would probably never win another state championship again. But this wasn’t because Chelsea was any less dedicated to her sport. No, Chelsea knew she could never win another championship because she would be competing against athletes with an unfair advantage.
Since 2017, the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference has allowed male athletes who identify as girls to compete in women’s sports. And after the 2018 season, one male athlete transferred schools, moving into Chelsea’s competition class.
Chelsea was devastated when her mother told her the news. “It felt like all I had worked for had been ripped away from me. I knew that I would never have the feeling [of being a state champion] again.”
Now Chelsea faced a grueling prospect that would be difficult for many adults to handle — competing in races that she knew she couldn’t win. And yet, she didn’t give up. “She never quit trying or working hard,” said her mother, Christy Mitchell.
SOURCE: Christian Post, Maureen Collins
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