Inclusion means more than simply allowing transgender students to join teams that match their gender identity. It means making them feel like a valued and welcomed member of the team. The goal should always be to make transgender students feel safe in the sports environment.

Coaches have to recognize that it’s not enough to expect the other students to welcome their transgender teammates. It takes effort to build strong and inclusive teams free from bullying and exclusion. Here’s what you can do to make your high school teams strong, safe, and inclusive for transgender students.

Make Team Building a Priority

It’s important to practice and improve your team’s skills on the court or field, but it’s just as important to focus on team-building exercises. The best and most successful teams are the ones that really connect and understand each other.

Team members need to have the chance to really get to know each other as people. They need the opportunity to learn how to communicate with one another and to build trust. Team-building events can also be a great way to let the team relax and just have fun.

Team building events don’t have to be formal. Pizza parties, relay races, trivia, and other fun, interactive activities are great options for helping your team to bond and to promote inclusion.

Team Building Can Also Boost Individual & Team Performance 

The goal of high school sports is to build skills, get moving, create lasting friendships—and ignite the competitive spirit! Obviously, every team and every player wants to be the best they can be, regardless of whether or not they plan to play sports in college.

Team building events bring the team closer together, but they can also be important for unlocking the true potential of the team and each individual player. In performance psychology, team building is one important factor in helping athletes to improve their abilities—by creating bonds of trust and stronger communication that help teams win games. Inclusive teams win by relying on one another!

Help the Team Understand the Bigger Picture

Some players may have difficulty accepting transgender students onto the team. Coaches have a responsibility to teach students about the bigger picture and to show them why diversity and inclusion are important. Teaching tolerance in high school is key, as we need kind and empathetic teens growing into kind and empathetic adults.

If students are struggling to accept a transgender teammate, there are three things you should emphasize:

1. Diversity is more than gender or age or ethnicity. Every aspect of our lives helps to shape who we become. Religion, mental health, socioeconomic status, worldviews, and upbringing are just a few of the factors that make up who we are.
2. It’s important for students to see their peers as multifaceted individuals, not just “the transgender kid.” Many kids don’t think of diversity except in broad strokes. Looking at the bigger picture of diversity means thinking about the details that make up each person’s unique experience and identity.
3. The main goal is to have fun and to play well as a team. Winning championships is a nice silver lining, but it isn’t possible without team communication, inclusion, trust, and respect. Team members should focus on the larger goals of the team and put their own ego aside.

Provide Transgender Inclusion Resources for Your Team & Staff

Creating an inclusive atmosphere isn’t likely to happen overnight. You will need to educate your players and staff about inclusion, diversity, and creating a safe and supportive environment. If someone on the team asks you a question you aren’t prepared to answer, it’s important to have some credible resources you can share to provide answers.

Many people still have concerns about including transgender athletes on teams that match their gender identities, especially on girls’ sports teams. It’s important to be prepared to educate and share inclusion resources when these kinds of doubts surface. For transgender athletes to feel safe and included in high school sports, both students and staff must be educated on why inclusion matters.

Don’t give up. Transgender students face many challenges as they pursue their interests and talents. They need adults in their lives who are willing to fight for them and to help them feel included. Remember: inclusion will make your team and students stronger and better than ever before!