Will County Gazette

Will County Board Member Steve Balich is joining a growing chorus of conservative voices who strongly disagree with the Illinois High School Association's (IHSA) refusal to enforce a federal executive order banning biological males from competing in female sports. 

Balich, a Republican, said the IHSA’s stance is “illogical," disregards the intent of Title IX and undermines the purpose of women’s sports, which he described as a space originally created to allow female athletes to compete, succeed, and advance through merit.  

“Title IX was designed to ensure equal opportunities for women in sports,” Balich told the Will County Gazette. “Allowing men to compete in female sports contradicts the intent of this legislation.”  

His remarks come in response to the IHSA’s announcement that it will not comply with President Donald Trump’s February 5 executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” 

Trump’s directive cites Title IX and recent court rulings to mandate that sports designated for women be reserved for individuals assigned female at birth. Non-compliant institutions risk losing federal funding.

The order also asserts that existing sports policies based on testosterone levels and self-identification are inadequate to ensure fairness and safety. It instructs federal agencies, including the Departments of Education and Justice, to enforce the policy, while also promoting sex-based athletic standards internationally.

In March, 40 Republican state lawmakers sent a letter to the IHSA seeking clarification on its policy in accordance with the federal order. 

The IHSA argued in its April 15 response that the organization is legally bound to follow the Illinois Human Rights Act, which permits transgender athletes to compete based on gender identity. It also emphasized that it is a private nonprofit that receives no federal or state funding, rendering it unaffected by the executive order’s financial penalties.

“Unfortunately, schools have been teaching this crazy stuff for a long time,” Balich said. “And the hierarchy of school associations believe people should be able to compete with the gender they identify with.”

Balich praised Trump for addressing what he views as a threat to women’s safety and competitive equity in sports.

“President Trump recognizes the physical advantage men have over women and promised to stop the destruction of women’s sports,” Balich said. “The idea of women competing against women again will make the sport more safe. Not sharing a locker room with a man needs to be enforced. Removing the federal dollars seems like a good way to start.”

Balich’s comments come amid controversy at the local level. 

At Deerfield Middle School, female students said they were forced to undress in front of a transgender student in a girls’ locker room, triggering a Title IX investigation by the Department of Justice and renewed scrutiny of school policies statewide.

Balich said the IHSA’s current approach not only violates the spirit of Title IX but also disregards the emotional and competitive consequences for young women.

“How many women were denied a coveted title because a man beat them?” Balich asked. “Why is it that a man who can't win in his sport can just identify as a woman and win in women’s sports? How uncomfortable is a female in the same locker as a man? Where are the rights and feelings for women?”

He placed blame on policies enacted during the Obama administration and expressed hope that Trump’s order would mark a reversal.

“This started under Obama and God willing will end with President Trump,” Balich said.

The IHSA has stood firm in its stance despite growing tensions following its April letter. Assistant Executive Director Matt Troha clarified that the board has not taken a new vote on the policy. 

All 10 IHSA board members—comprised of principals and athletic directors from schools across the state—have declined requests for comment from Will County Gazette. 

Critics say the organization’s silence and inaction signal a failure to prioritize the rights and safety of female athletes.

“It is logical and therefore against Democrat ideology, which stands for what does not make any sense,” Balich said.