Clarion-Goldfield/Dows senior Elliot Ennis told to ‘join the boys team’ after school dropped varsity basketball

Elliot Ennis was a three-year letterwinner for Clarion-Goldfield/Dows, which dropped varsity girls basketball this year

Elliot Ennis is a senior at Clarion-Goldfield/Dows. She will not be able to play her final high school season due to the school canceling the varsity girls basketball schedule. / Facebook/Elizabeth Ennis

Elliot Ennis grew up not only around the sport of basketball, but the Clarion-Goldfield/Dows program as a whole. 

Her mother, Elizabeth Ennis, had two stints as the head coach of the Cowgirls, including for the last three years with her daughter playing an integral part of a team that won 19 games during that time.

But Ennis won’t be allowed to complete her basketball career with Clarion-Goldfield/Dows, where she is on track to be a valedictorian this spring. Instead, she told the Board of Education she was instructed to just “join the boys team” if she wanted to play for the school.

Clarion-Goldfield/Dows is one of a handful of programs in Iowa that will not play a varsity schedule this winter. They are working on a junior varsity slate of games, which leaves those returning from a year ago on the sidelines. 

“To say I am disappointed with be an understatement,” Ennis said while appearing before the Board of Education earlier this month. “I have dedicated countless hours of my time to playing basketball. It has always been my favorite sport. I have so many wonderful memories, I could not begin to name them all. When I found out that we would not be able to field a basketball team this year, my heart sank.

“But when I was told by multiple members of the administration that they would do everything in their power to allow myself and the rest of the players to play. New coaches were hired, meetings were held and ultimately, we were left with the same outcome. Addy (Howell), myself and a handful of freshmen would be the only team members. After being told that my best possible option was to ‘join the boys team,’ I realized that you had lied to me.”

Howell, a sophomore who saw key playing time last year, spoke out at the same meeting where she also brought up stark differences in how boys sports are treated compared to girls sports at the school.

* Clarion-Goldfield/Dows student speaks out on treatment of girls sports within school district

As a junior, Ennis started all 21 games, scoring a team-leading 230 points with 225 rebounds, 37 blocks, 30 steals and 20 assists. She recorded 205 points with 233 rebounds as a sophomore and had 88 points and 88 rebounds as a ninth-grader. 

Ennis noted that she was told the school had discussions with joining Belmond-Klemme, but “when they said they were not interested in sharing, I was essentially told there were no other options.”

“In order to play competitive basketball at my skill level, I would need to open enroll elsewhere,” she said. “Seeing that I am a senior who has spent her entire life in this town, and with this group of people, that was far from my best interest.”

So Ennis remains at Clarion-Goldfield/Dows, on track to graduate in the spring as a key member of the Class of 2025. She will leave the halls and go on to her next stop, but the lessons learned over these past few months will always stay with her.

“I don’t know if a lot has changed, but I have received a lot of messages from parents, teachers and friends from other schools asking how I am or telling me how they think I’m brave for speaking up,” Ennis told High School Sports on SI. “I think this has given me a little bit of perspective. High school sports mean a lot while you are in them, but it’s important to know that you will achieve bigger and better things in life.

“Regardless, I think sports are such a meaningful and developmental part of so many kids’ lives. It’s sad that so many other girls across the state are going through similar struggles.”

More coverage of Iowa high school sports

* Clarion-Goldfield/Dows, Charles City, Central City won't play girls varsity basketball in 2024-25

* Sibley-Ocheyedan, West Sioux the first to scrap plans for varsity girls basketball this winter