DEL.ICIO.USControversy follows girl football kicker
Monday, October 20, 2008
A female football kicker was let back on the field last weekend. But controversy keeps swirling around the decision to let her play football with home-schooled and private school boys.
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The Georgia Football League official who sidelined Spalding County kicker Kacy Stuart for most of the season based on her gender gave in and allowed her to play. But he doesn’t want to discuss it.
“There’s no story,” said Hank St. Denis, the league’s executive board chairman. “She’s playing, isn’t she? End of story.”
In August, St. Denis told Kacy, 14, she could not play after she was accepted by and practiced with the New Creation Center Crusaders.
The first team Kacy faced relied on the Bible to express its beliefs about female football players in a pre-game statement, said New Creation athletic director Coach Ken Townley.
“The East Atlanta Mustangs didn’t play us under protest but they were allowed to read a statement on their beliefs about female football players,” Townley said. “They used biblical verses from the book of Romans. I was very stunned by that.”
Mustangs Coach Alan Hawkins did not immediately return phone calls or e-mails Monday asking for comment. St. Denis didn’t want to discuss why he changed his mind after being sent a letter from an attorney representing the Stuarts.
The Crusaders beat the Mustangs 39-8, with Kacy doing all the kicking and completing three extra-point attempts, Townley said.
“She’s an amazing kicker and I’m glad she got to play,” he said. “She’s a natural, she’s really good and only 14.”
The Crusaders were slated to face the Bartow Generals Saturday for the last game of the regular season but that has been scrapped. Kacy’s mother, Angie, thinks the team doesn’t want to face a girl.
But Generals coach Mike Gifford disputed that. “We’re not playing them but for reasons not related to that,” he said, without elaborating.
The Crusaders, who won the league championship last year, have a 4-3 record, Townley said, and are expected in the playoffs.
Instead, Townley said the Crusaders will play LaGrange’s Dawson Street Christian School Wildcats Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.
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Comments
By Peter
Nov 20, 2008 7:37 PM | Link to this
amusedbyhypocrites writes: "All of the outrage expressed...without any attempt to understand the other side! Typical.
In many places in the South, boys are still raised to be gentlemen (opening doors, expressing politeness, standing to recognize the presence of females, etc.). Included in this code is a prohibition against hitting girls...."
Fair enough. But you are presenting a rational defense of why a female football creates problem. The comments are capitalizing on the fact that the other team tried to use a biblical passage to justify their rational. In other words, they were either being duplicitous about their real reasons or else they genuinely believed that it was against the bible, in which case their defense makes them look, well, not exactly positive.
So you see, what is being attacked is the reason, not necessarily the position. Some might also argue with the position as well, of course, but most people who have commented, commented because the bible and religion were used to justify their beliefs, rather than more sensible, rational reasons like "We don't feel comfortable rough-housing girls," or "being males, we are concerned that our thoughts will be less than pure" or some other truly authentic reason for their stance.
The posters may not be fair, but they also are not examining the underlying motive but the surface rationale, which happens to be what this article is about.
By Jara
Oct 30, 2008 10:22 AM | Link to this
First there is a God and second the Bible does not say anything about girls and football. Did football even exist back then? Anyway its just a sorry and wrong excuse of why a girl should not play. If she is good let her play! I don't see a reason why not, it makes them tough and teaches teamwork.
By Jara
Oct 30, 2008 10:22 AM | Link to this
First there is a God and second the Bible does not say anything about girls and football. Did football even exist back then? Anyway its just a sorry and wrong excuse of why a girl should not play. If she is good let her play! I don't see a reason why not, it makes them tough and teaches teamwork.
By amusedbyhypocrites
Oct 27, 2008 8:50 AM | Link to this
All of the outrage expressed...without any attempt to understand the other side! Typical.
In many places in the South, boys are still raised to be gentlemen (opening doors, expressing politeness, standing to recognize the presence of females, etc.). Included in this code is a prohibition against hitting girls.
I coached girls & fought for their rights to be recognized equally with the boys' teams. I also played football (defense), and I would not have been able to hit a girl. What's so hard to understand about that? Perhaps some of you would prefer the teams that would intentionally target females on opposing teams to "teach them a lesson"!
Also, I find it incredibly hypocritical that people continue to insist that a girl who is 'good enough to play with the boys' be allowed to do so...while not extending that same logic to boys who could beat out girls. I knew a lot of boys (including football players) who would have loved to play volleyball (they often stayed after football practice to play...even after the girls had left for the day). Should they have been allowed to play on the girls' team? I'm still waiting for the 'logic' that can explain away this contradictory thinking.
By nottrue
Oct 27, 2008 8:16 AM | Link to this
The league does not participate in the state playoff system. They hold their own playoffs within the league.
Top 4 teams play for championship of the GFL. The End.
By k2
Oct 24, 2008 10:07 PM | Link to this
Eventhough it is a "private" league it participates in the State playoff system (GHSAA). Therefore they must allow all students to participate if they fall within the GHSAA guidelines. This falls under the Supreme Court ruling of Brentwood v Tennessee HSAA
By Almighty
Oct 24, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this
People - please read your Romans!
"and God said, 'Ye shall take not unto thy team any player with a womb; even if that player merely kiketh the field goal or the point-after, or punteth, or even if that player shall only kicketh off." The word of the Lord...
By A
Oct 24, 2008 8:28 AM | Link to this
People - please read your Romans!
"and God said, 'Ye shall take not unto thy team any player with a womb; even if that player merely kiketh the field goal or the point-after, or punteth, or even if that player shall only kicketh off." The word of the Lord...
By SportsFan
Oct 23, 2008 5:10 PM | Link to this
Someone Please tell me what scripture in Romans that says a female can't play football? This stuff is discriminatory, and outright STUPID!!!!!!
By SK
Oct 23, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this
Hey I have an idea! Why don't we separate the boys from the girls in society -and make the girls cover themselves head to toe to keep them decent. And maybe it would be a good idea to make sure the only males they are ever seen with are relatives. And if they ever cross the line, we stone them!
rolls eyes
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