Vermont girls basketball team banned from play after forfeiting game against team with transgender player

Mid-Vermont Christian School coach Chris Goodwin and attorney Ryan Tucker discuss the religious reasons for withdrawing from the game and the resulting punishment from the state of Vermont governing body.

The coach of a Vermont basketball team that forfeited a game against a transgender player broke his silence after the state banned the team from competing in future tournaments. 

Chris Goodwin, who coaches at Mid-Vermont Christian School, said the team was notified of the transgender player on the other team, but it wasn't until the playoffs last year that the team ended up facing them on the court. 

Goodwin joined "Fox & Friends" Monday alongside his attorney Ryan Tucker to discuss why they took legal action over the state's decision to bar them from upcoming competitions. He emphasized the danger of a biological male playing against high school girls.

"I've got four daughters. I've coached them all at one point in their careers playing high school basketball. I've also filled in for the boy's coach when he can't make a practice, and I run those practices, and boys just play at a different speed, a different force… than the girls play," Goodwin told Lawrence Jones during the exclusive interview.

VETERAN SPORTSCASTER BOB COSTAS KNOCKS TRANS ATHLETES IN WOMEN'S SPORTS: COMMON SENSE IS 'NOT TRANSPHOBIC'

"It's a different game," he continued, adding that it would be "irresponsible" and "asking for an injury" to a smaller female player.

The girls' basketball team forfeited the game against the team with the transgender player back in February 2023, which prompted the Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA) to ban the team from future tournaments. 

The girls basketball team at Mid-Vermont Christian school forfeited a game