Books | Sports

January 19, 2007

Finding Her Place

Katie Hnida discusses the highs and lows of her quest to become the first woman to play D-I football.

David Goldenberg

Katie Hnida is on the phone with another reporter, but promises to call me back as soon as she's done. When she does, she says that she's given so many interviews by now that everything's starting to run together. There's a reason, of course, for all of the media attention. Hnida, who became the first woman to play Division I football when she took the field for an ill-fated extra point attempt for New Mexico in the Las Vegas Bowl in 2002, has just published an autobiography of the last 10 years of her life, called Still Kicking: My Dramatic Journey As the First Woman to Play Division One College Football. Her well-written tale combines the best and worst that sports has to offer.







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Comments

- Sports
- posted on Feb 06, 07
gms

I have to be very careful about how I word this, because I know I will be misunderstood as somehow being sexist, or at least dubious about Katie's claim, but there is something that bothers me--fundamentally--about the paradox of this situation: Hnida, who claims she wanted to write this book in order to show others not to keep quiet about being the victim of sexual abuse, still refuses to press charges, and try her rapist in the court of law. He deserves to be tried there, and should his guilt be proven, deserves any punishment he is given. It is not so much the fact that Hnida is making money off of the story that bothers me (I don't believe that is her motivation, and I think she could make a HELL of alot more money selling her life rights to a movie-maker.) What bothers me is that Hnida is not seeking any real justice. And I want to know why. The excuse (and I understand it is a valid one) that she is afraid of a repercussion similar to the one Kobe's accuser saw, doesn't seem like reason enough to avoid bringing the truth to light. If Hnida has nothing in her past to hide, then why in the world would she not put the truth up against any lies that the defense could conjure? There is something only half-honest about Hnida profitting from a partial accusal of an unidentified player from the team. It puts the entire team under a shadow of skepticism, when there are certainly individuals on that team who do not deserve it. And unfortunately for Hnida it puts her story under a shadow of skepticism when she is willing to expose herself to the pain of reliving this incident in order to make some money, and urge other victims to speak out. Yet she is not willing to relive that pain enough to speak out herself and accuse (and, if justified) punish the man who Hnida says assaulted her.

- Sports
- posted on Feb 09, 07
Larry F

where do is send fan mail for Katie Hnida?

Article by David Goldenberg

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