Collective Noun

I guess there are two aspects to me

Firstly having a girls/female team is of value , increasing participation and as they get older they will benefit from sex divided categories, as it is sex not gender that is relevant for sport capability

Lots of sports were not "men's xxx" they were just xxx but only men by default. We don't want to go back to that

Then I daily use , you should avoid using sex terms when not needed. It reinforces the differences between males and females and can lead to girls underperforming

So everyone , all

Don't let the word girls be erased for a minority of people who don't understand how bloody hard women and girls fought for the ability to actually do these things.

At school we didn't have the option of football. Girls did netball. We made a big fuss and got the school to change policy so every one had the choice.

I fucking hate football btw. I suffered it so other girls could have the option!!!

But as the team is based in sex, girls should be fine. Who is in charge - the coach or the kids?

In my day the coaches were God. You did as told.

I think the suggestion of the whole team discussion is a really, really good one. Most of what has been happening has been by stealth and an open discussion will help all the girls see how important it is to talk about this. Those who are non-binary will also learn that there is a discussion to be had, Let them be grown ups about this one and you might be pleasantly surprised.

I would explain that the term “Girls” is a sex-based term and refers to young female human beings and that it doesn’t negate any ‘identity’. I’d also give a very brief explanation of women in sport - issues we’ve had, firsts, etc.

I wouldn’t indulge gender ideology, not because I think it’s regressive nonsense but because I believe it’s harmful, particularly to girls.

'Non-binary' is a term that depends on other people adhering to sexist stereotypes in order for it to have any sort of meaning. Personally, I wouldn't indulge in that sort of nonsense at all. By going along with it, what message are you sending out to all the other girls on the team?

I expect all the non-binary kids on your team are the female sort of non-binary kids, in which case they are girls.

www.transgendertrend.com/girl-international-womens-day-2021/

On International Women’s Day 2021 we celebrate the word ‘girl’. We are watching as the word ‘woman’ is being erased and replaced with the more ‘inclusive’ spelling ‘womxn’, the gender neutral ‘person’ or demeaning and dehumanising terms such as ‘uterus haver’ or ‘menstruator.’ We don’t want to see the same happen to the word girl.

‘Girl’ means a female child from birth to adulthood. That’s it, that’s the dictionary definition. Nothing subjective, nothing about personality or an inner feeling, just the simple fact of your biological sex. A girl, by definition, is female. Girls need to know that more than ever today when they are being told that some girls have a penis and that they themselves might really be boys if their behaviour and interests stray too far outside the pink girl box.

“Girl” is not a subjective idea, it is a fact and it means “young female.” To give girls the idea that it means anything else restricts ALL girls in their idea of themselves as people.

Girl means a female child from birth to adulthood. Girlhood doesn’t last long so while you’re there, girls, claim your word, own it, make it yours. Don’t let anyone make you feel ashamed of using it for whatever reason.

To girls everywhere: the word ‘girl’ belongs to you, it is a wonderful word; embrace it, celebrate it, use it with pride and shout it out loud.

Its a girls team, why would anyone be offended at being called a girl? If you dont want to be called a girl then surely you wouldn't join a girls team? It doesn't make sense.

^^ This. They want to participate in the girls team because they are girls or identify as girls or because they prefer to be with the girls than the boys. Yet they won't like to be collectively referred to as girls. Does that mean the team name has to be changed too?

I don’t understand why they’re staying in the team if they no longer consider themselves girls.

People..

I think you should decide , as someone said asking the team could be decisive. I would possibly say girls, everyone….I don’t think you should drop the term girls but could just add on Players, team, everyone. It’s been a challenge at times to get girls involved in sport and it’s important to encourage and reinforce that they are valued as girls….however if you feel you need something for those who don’t like being referred to as girls maybe you could add on a more generic label. Being inclusive should not necessarily mean removing the label that other players are happy with.

When I said ask "them" I meant the whole team. Not just the NB ones.

I hate the trend for using 'guys' for a mixed sex group, and think the rise of that along with 'lads' in internet discourse on Tumblr, Twitter etc. has added to the messages young girls are being fed that male is the default, that being thought of as an honorary male is flattering and a step up from being a girl or woman (second class human).

Team is fine

Hi everyone
Hi everybody
Hi team
Hi friends
Hi gang
Hi "Team Name" (e.g. if you're the Skegness Seagulls football team, "Okay Seagulls let's get ready").

Everyone/body and team would cover the bulk I'd imagine. I'd also add that its goodnthat you're listening to the children in your care and allowing them to decide how they'd like to be referred to - they will really appreciate that.

Back in the 90's I had a coach that would collectively refer to us as "tiny people" she was Russian bless her and I think had gotten something mixed up in translation.

Or she would scream "you! No you!" Across an ice rink and you all had to turn around to figure out who was "you".

In your position of opt for "team"

So

Hi team
Come along team
Listen up team

And so on.

There might be some 'non binaries' who don't like 'guys' either if they interpret it as male rather than their preferred neutral.

Guys does feel a bit default male term being applied to a mixed sex group to me.

( I saw on a thread here a few weeks ago someone make the point that if you asked a straight man how many guys he had slept with, it wouldn't include women then)

I've worked with Americans so long I'm used to using 'guys' as a neutral collective term, but there are certainly women - and quite possibly some girls - who object to it because it's one of those 'male as default' terms.

People?

That's what half our teachers used to say (in an all-girls school). Shift from girls to guys, even with guys now having a neutral secondary meaning, feels like a 180° shift.