Maddy Paige, 12 Year Old, Told She Can No Longer Play On Football Team Because Of Gender (VIDEO)

Why She Was Banned From Playing Football (VIDEO)

Last season, 12-year-old Maddy Paige was the defensive tackle for her school's football team in Georgia. Even though the team had all-male players, Maddy was encouraged to continue by her classmates and principal who went to see her play, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

"It was really fun because they were really supportive. And they accepted me even though I was a girl," she told CBS Atlanta.

But the rules have now changed at Strong Rock Christian School. Due to a new policy, Maddy has been banned from playing on the team next season. Athletic Director Phil Roberts explained the decision to 11Alive News in an email statement: "Our official policy is that middle school girls play girl sports and middle school boys play boy sports."

Hear more of Maddy's story in the video above.

Cassy Blythe, Maddy's mom, created a Facebook page called "Let Her Play," which currently has over 1,000 likes. The 12-year-old's family is hoping to put pressure on the the school to change their policy so Maddy can play football again next season.

In February, 11-year-old Caroline Pla from Pennsylvania also pushed back against a boys-only rule that barred her from playing football in her community. Caroline played for a Catholic Youth Organization football league for two years, and even played on the all-star team, but the league threatened to go back to their "no girls" policy.

"First they said it was a boys sport. Then they said it was a safety issue. Then they said it was inappropriate touching," Caroline said.

A panel selected by the archdiocese in Philadelphia voted to continue the already existing policy that would keep Caroline out of the sport, but Archbishop Charles Chaput ended up making the final decision in her favor, so she has now been re-admitted to the Catholic Youth Organization's football league.

"Caroline was never going to give up, even if they said no," her mom, Seal Pla, told CNN.

What do you think about co-ed sports teams in middle schools? Tell us in the comments or tweet us at @HuffPostTeen.

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