‘Biggest Threat Is Distraction’: Byron Center AD Urges No Protests Of Trans Volleyball Player: EXCLUSIVE

The Ann Arbor Skyline girls volleyball team advanced to the Michigan Division I quarterfinals with a win over Saline on Nov. 13. Their next opponent, Byron Center, is aware that Skyline has a trans-identifying biological male in its starting lineup. 

But according to an alleged email written by Byron Center athletic director Brady Lake, which was sent to parents and obtained by OutKick, the "biggest threat" to BC advancing in the state high school volleyball tournament is not a male opponent, but potential protests by BC parents who believe Skyline has an unfair advantage. 

"Please trust me when I say that the biggest threat to our success on Tuesday is not on the court; it is the distraction to our girls that will come from those around them fixating on this story," Lake wrote on Nov. 14, according to the email. 

OutKick received a copy of the email from someone who identified themselves as a member of the Byron Center community. We reached out to Lake via email and phone twice each to verify the message's legitimacy and ask for comment. He did not respond to requests as of publication. 

Byron Center AD Brady Lake told parents the "biggest threat" before facing Ann Arbor Skyline is "distractions" from protests over Skyline's trans-identifying biological male on its girls volleyball team.

(Byron Center Public Schools & OutKick)

Lake never specifically mentioned that Skyline has a trans-identifying biological male on its team, which OutKick exclusively confirmed in September. 

"The purpose of this email is to address the media reports surrounding the Ann Arbor Skyline volleyball team. Coach [Missy] Ritz-Johnson, myself, and our administrative team have been monitoring this situation. I have been in direct contact with the MHSAA and other athletic directors involved throughout the season. Please know that we have given this situation much thought well before today," Lake wrote.

Email From Byron Center AD Urges Parents To Avoid Protests

Lake also encouraged parents not to protest the presence of a transgender player on Skyline's team. 

"Tuesday night needs to be about crazy bibs, orange beards, pictures on sticks and ‘Bulldog Power’ chants. And of course, the respect and sportsmanship that BC has become known for. Anything other than that will be a huge disservice to our girls, who deserve nothing but the best version of their community behind them," Lake wrote. 

Skyline and BC meet on Tuesday, Nov. 18 in a quarterfinal match at Gull Lake High School in Richland, Mich. The winner advances to the state semifinal, which will be hosted at Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek, Mich. That team would face either Trenton or Farmington Hills Mercy on Nov. 20. 

Although the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) has refused to tell OutKick (despite several requests from mid-September to present) if the organization granted a transgender eligibility waiver for Skyline, Lake insisted that all players on Skyline are eligible under MHSAA policy. 

"It is important to know that the MHSAA governs eligibility for all member schools. As part of that process, every team must submit a Master Eligibility List before the postseason. We have confirmed that every student-athlete who will play for Ann Arbor Skyline on Tuesday is eligible under MHSAA policy," Lake wrote. 

Eligibility Questions Persist As MHSAA Declines To Clarify Waiver Status

Schools with transgender athletes who were born male and want to compete on a high school girls' team in Michigan must apply for and receive a waiver from the MHSAA to be eligible for postseason competition. The organization told OutKick in September that it had not granted any waivers since last fall (waivers have to be approved every year), but has ignored multiple follow-up requests asking if one has since been granted. 

Lake’s email dwells on eligibility and asks parents to stay quiet. What it leaves out is the part that matters most: girls competing against a biological male creates an unequal playing field, and parents know it. There's no acknowledgment of parents’ concerns about fairness, safety, and privacy for their daughters. 

It's understandable that Michigan district and athletic administrators are caught between MHSAA rules, state laws, and a federal executive order. But it's not defensible for so many to refuse to protect the girls in their schools. Or, at the very least, they need to appreciate that parental concerns are not because of bigotry but because of concern for their children.