College Football:Female kicker can't try out for football team

The Cincinnati Enquirer ^ | April 19, 2003 | AP staff writer

[yankeedame]

Saturday, April 19, 2003

Female kicker can't try out for football team

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By The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota's football team barred the younger sister of former kicker Dan Nystrom from trying out.

"It's men's college football, and it is not a co-ed sport," assistant athletic director Tim Allen told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis.

Mary Nystrom didn't return phone messages left by The Associated Press on Friday. Dan Nystrom could not be reached for comment.

Mary, a junior, followed her brother as a kicker in high school and wanted to try to do the same in college after spotting the football team's ad seeking a "quality kicker/punter."

The Gophers aren't obligated to give her a tryout because schools can prohibit women from participating in men's contact sports. Once a woman is allowed to participate, she must be treated equally.

Last year, New Mexico's Katie Hnida became the first woman to play in an NCAA Division I-A game when her extra-point attempt was blocked against UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Other teams have had women on their rosters.

"I'm a little disappointed," Mary Nystrom told the newspaper. "I don't know why I couldn't (try out). But I'm not going to fight it. It's not that big a deal."

Nystrom said more than 20 kickers showed up for the tryout. She said she was allowed to kick on her own, without being part of the official tryout.

She said she can make kicks from 40 yards.

[yankeedame]

I wonder if we'll be hearing from the NOW gang about this? (No, I'm not holding my breath, or betting the farm.)

[TalBlack]

Good Lord, woman can be allowed into combat, cops, firefighting to the detriment of themselves, their coworkers and the necessary social institutions that once held standards up, BUT THEY CAN'T GET ON A FRICKIN' FOOTBALL TEAM! Oooooooookay...whatever.

[TexRef]

What these schools should do is open up football tryouts to women. They could then treat football as a co-ed sport and wouldn't have to cut so many other men's sports to comply with Title 9.

[freedumb2003]

What these schools should do is open up football tryouts to women

Sure, works for me. let's eliminate the gender aspect from ALL college sports. Men on the women's vollyball team. Men on the woman's basketball team. Hey, woman are the same as men (except for that annoying "give birth" thing). Since sports are still somewhat based on winning, how many women would be left on a "gender-blind" rugby or soccer team that wanted to win?

Obviously God violated the feminist agenda when He made womyn less phyically strong than men. My My My.

[putupon]

I hope my team finds a good place kicker for this season, I don't care what the gender.

[dodger]

Why not have a single varisty team in each sport, rather than 'separate but equal' programs for men & women?

Meanwhile, if a man cannot play golf on the Wellesley team, why should women be allowed in the Masters??

[rintense]

I say give her a chance. Let her skills speak for themselves.

[TexRef]

Why don't you read my entire post next time instead of just the first sentence?

My point is that under Title 9 football causes a lot of men's sports to be cut, since there are so many members on a football team.

If they allowed women to tryout, perhaps they would count football as a co-ed sports. And we realize that most women would not be able to compete in football at all -- maybe as kickers, that's about it.

I agree that Title 9 is moronic, but it's the law right now and it doesn't look to be changing anytime soon.

[AAABEST]

Yeah let's put her on the football team where she can have her t*ts sqaushed or smeared into the playing field by the six 250 lb linemen that takle her.

Think before you type.

[Deadeye Division]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/896352/posts

[sausageseller]

Hey she is the one that wants to try out. Why not let her get he T*TS smashed if she wants too? Where is your sense of "fairness" ?

[jbstrick]

"I don't care what the gender."

I think you mean, "I don't care what sex."

[splitveer]

Title IX is ruining all of college athletics, and high school athletics....can't you all see this? and for those people who talk about fairness......why can't a guy play softball at Vasser? or why can't a guy be a center on a high school girls basketball team??? when title IX was going through, the college football coaches association warned all the lawmakers as to what would happen...but they did it anyway....what people have to understand is that these sports DON"T MAKE ANY MONEY....so where's the only place they can go ? football and basketball...take it to the bank baby....

[SamAdams76]

Yeah, she's the one that wants to try out. I say let her. Do men have some kind of noble duty to to stop women from playing football? Besides, it will be fun to see how she handles a blocked punt.

[BurbankKarl]

No wonder they riot up there.

[ex-Texan]

I agree with you. Let her kick the football.

Who knows, she might be really good. Maybe she has been underestimating her own abilities.

[Jeff Chandler]

>>What these schools should do is open up football tryouts to women. They could then treat football as a co-ed sport and wouldn't have to cut so many other men's sports to comply with Title 9.<<

You read my mind.

[vetvetdoug]

As long as she can stand up to the drills, let her play. I would bet the whining would start after the first day of drill.

[Black Bart]

when He made womyn less phyically strong than men

Correction: He made SOME women less physically strong than SOME men.

There are doubtlessly some women who are stronger than some men. Let her play with the boys. But also let the boys play with the girls. Soon ALL the girls, and MOST of the white guys, will be spectators, not players.

[Tribune7]

Why do you object to gender discrimination in sports?