Prairie State Wire

A top official at the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) says the organization’s stance on transgender athlete participation has not changed recently and that no new vote has been taken by its Board of Directors, despite public and political pressure following a letter from the organization stating that it would not comply with a federal executive order banning biological males from female sports.

“There has been no recent vote by the IHSA Board on this matter,” Matt Troha, Assistant Executive Director of the IHSA, told Prairie State Wire. “Per our letter, there is a law in Illinois that has existed for many years that allows participation by transgender student-athletes in IHSA State Series (post-season) competition. President Trump’s Executive Order obviously conflicts with that, and we have reached out to state lawmakers seeking clarification on remaining in legal compliance.”

Troha's comments come as the IHSA continues to face scrutiny for refusing to comply with President Donald Trump’s Feb. 5 executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” 

Trump’s executive order mandates that female athletic categories be reserved exclusively for biological females, citing Title IX and recent court decisions. It directs the Department of Education to withhold federal funds from schools that do not comply and tasks the Department of Justice and other agencies with enforcement.  

The IHSA, in an April 15 letter to state legislators, said it will not comply with the federal directive, citing conflict with the Illinois Human Rights Act, which protects participation based on gender identity. It emphasized that, as a private entity receiving no state or federal funding, it is not subject to federal penalties.

The IHSA’s reiteration of its stance came after a March 17 inquiry from 40 Republican state lawmakers. 

Troha was the only IHSA official to respond to an interview request from Prairie State Wire. All 10 members of the Illinois High School Association’s Board of Directors, which sets policy, interprets rules and oversees the organization’s operations, did not respond to a request for comment. 

Board members include Dan Tully of Niles Notre Dame, Todd Rogers of Carterville High School, Mike Castleman of Olympia High School in Stanford, Rickey Harris of Whitney Young in Chicago, Augie Fontanetta of New Trier in Winnetka, Ron Lear of Plainfield North, Katie Cazalet of Dunlap High School and Brad Gooding of Hamilton High School. 

At-large members include Katy Hasson of Rockridge in Taylor Ridge, Tom Schergen of De La Salle in Chicago, and D’Wayne Bates of Glenbard East in Lombard. Dr. Scott Adreon of Dunlap serves as the board’s appointed, non-voting treasurer.

However, several legislators and advocacy groups from across the state have decried the IHSA's inaction. 

“By siding with radical gender ideology over the concerns of parents, coaches, and athletes, the IHSA is dismissing the very real physical differences in competition—and silencing the voices of girls who have trained their whole lives for a fair shot,” State Rep. Regan Deering (R-Macon) told the Macon Reporter. 

State Rep. Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt) told Metro East Sun, “biological girls across the country, including Illinois, feel like their privacy and safety have been hijacked and they want their voices heard and action taken to preserve their rights.” 

Troha reiterated that any suggestions of a recent policy shift or board action are incorrect.

The IHSA’s position has sparked controversy, due to its letter to congress coming on the heels of the Department of Education announcing that it has launched Title IX investigations into the Illinois Department of Education, Chicago Public Schools District 299 and Deerfield Public Schools District 109 where female students at Deerfield Middle School say they were forced to share their locker room and undress in front of male student who identifies as female.  

Conservative advocacy group Awake Illinois has also condemned the IHSA’s refusal to adopt the executive order, accusing it of “allowing boys to invade girls’ sports.”