Alabama girls basketball team receive a trophy EACH from city mayor after tournament snub

The Spain Park women’s basketball team was honored with individual trophies and commemorative coins on Monday night after they were denied the title for winning a men’s tournament.

The fifth grade girls received their trophies in a private ceremony with the town mayor and seemed excited to get their hands on some hardware.

“Members of the Lady Jags fifth grade basketball team were all smiles as they received a trophy and commemorative coin from Mayor Brocato in recognition of their recent championship win,” a Facebook post from the City of Hoover read.

“The team received their trophies in a private ceremony at their request instead of attending the City Council meeting on Monday.”

The girls of Spain Park, an elite Hoover team, were reportedly told at the start of the season that they would not be able to practice at the local gym unless they joined the boys’ recreation league.

The players seemed delighted when they were recognized for their tournament victory.

Despite being an elite team, one that trials to fill out their roster, the Spain Park girls did exactly that, winning the tournament championship before being told they were ineligible for a trophy.

Instead, the hardware was given to the boys’ recreation team they had defeated in the finals.

That decision caused controversy, as a team mom sparked the debate with a Facebook post.

‘What did they do to be disqualified?’ asked Jayme Mashayekh, the mother of one of the girls on the team. ‘Didn’t they pay their dues? Didn’t they level up in the competition? Oh, is it because they’re GIRLS?!?!’

The problem, according to the HPRD, stemmed from tournament rules that differentiate elite teams from recreational league teams, and not from the gender of the eventual champions. Although the Spain Park girls competed against the boys, they were still considered a select or “elite” team, and because of this, they were never eligible for a trophy in the tournament made up of mostly recreational teams.

“Only regular recreation teams are eligible for awards/trophies,” the HPRD statement read. ‘Coaches of ‘elite’ teams are aware of and agree to these rules at the time they apply to participate.’

Instead, the hardware was given to the boys’ recreation team they had defeated in the finals.

“So proud of Rylie and his basketball team,” Mashayekh’s post read. It was a hard lesson they learned tonight. They won the fifth grade boys’ recreational league championship, but did not receive the trophy.

‘These girls have played together for 3 years in a competitive women’s league representing Spain Park. They are all fifth graders in the Hoover school system. In the middle (sic) of the season they were told they couldn’t use the Hoover gyms for their practices unless they paid to play in the Hoover rec league.

“They were told to stick together as a team, that they had to level up in the competition and play against the fifth grade boys,” Mayshayekh continued. ‘The girls were in the middle of the pack all season losing several close games by 1 point.

‘Playing the boys was a challenge they faced. It made them better players and a better team. They were told before the tournament that they could play it, but if they won they wouldn’t be allowed to take the trophy.’

The HPRD responded in a statement on Monday, explaining that the Spain Park girls and another elite team would be honored at Monday night’s city council meeting.

“Questions have recently been raised about the recognition of teams participating in a youth basketball tournament conducted by the Hoover Parks and Recreation Department (HPRD),” the organization’s statement read.

‘For many years, HPRD has allowed Hoover-based ‘elite’ teams to participate in the tournaments it hosts. These ‘elite’ teams are not wanted by HPRD, they come to HPRD and ask to participate. The members of the “elite” teams are selected by hand.

The HPRD insisted that the girls who were snubbed had nothing to do with their gender.

The girls were one of two ‘elite’ teams invited to the city council meeting on Monday.

‘They don’t go through the same talent evaluation as those who participate in regular recreational league teams. Therefore, ‘elite’ teams are willing to compete against recreation teams in a different division within their grade level or against teams that are above their grade level to ensure fair competition for all youth athletes. .

If an ‘elite’ team participates in an HPRD youth tournament and makes it to the championship round, they are not eligible to receive any awards/trophies. Only regular recreation teams are eligible for awards/trophies. The coaches of the ‘elite’ teams know and accept these rules at the time they apply to participate,’ the statement concluded.

The organization vowed to review its policies to ensure fair competition and procedures, and that those details are “more clearly understood.”

Mashayekh did not respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.