Nor letteth a woman kicketh a football
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/10/20/girl_kicker.html
Controversy follows girl football kicker
By KATHY JEFCOATS
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.
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.
Controversy follows girl football kicker
By KATHY JEFCOATS
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.
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.