Long Island boy told he can't play on girls field hockey team

SOUTHAMPTON, New York (WABC) -- A dilemma for a Long Island teenager, his family, and his fellow players on a mostly female field hockey team. He's been the only guy on the team for two years but now a local athletic association says he's gotten too good and can't play with the team.

At 4'8" and 82 pounds 13-year-old Keeling Pilaro looks tiny compared to his fellow players on the South Hampton High School girls varsity field hockey team.

"I'm not the best like out there dominating but I'm not the worst either," he said.

Not so, says the local chapter of the state public high school athletic association.

They say Pilaro can no longer play on the team because he's just too good.

He is one of the top scorers in the league.

"The past two years they've let me play. I didn't see why I didn't have the advanced skills then but now they're there now," he adds.

However, the Association sees it differently. "

"He is a talented field hockey player and what the committee has to look at is do we think this is adverse affect on the young ladies and the committee felt that it was," said Edward Cinelli.

Cinelli the executive director of Athletic Association Chapter says Pilaro's superior skills make it difficult for the girls to play successfully.

That's a direct violation of state rules on mixed gender teams.

Pilaro says he's not even the best person on his team.

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