6. penalty box

...

Newly minted 'puck Princesses' star forward Kitt McCoy pointed out her dissatisfaction with the inequalities she has experienced at Xavinn Olitor University (XOU). She noted scholarships, favoritism, and preferential treatment as concerns in the Athletics Department. She noted that Director Thomas has had a direct and swift impact on the experience of female athletes of XOU.

Director Thomas declined to comment both on the victory of the women's hockey team in Saturday's exhibition game, and the allegations that his recent appointment to the head of the Athletics Department has created an inequality through out the Department.

Upon further investigation, it has been discovered that only after Director Thomas received his appointment, the number of female athlete scholarships has decreased dramatically, nearly eighty percent.

Kitt McCoy, wearing number twenty-nine for the Puck Princesses, scored four out of six goals in Saturdays game, displaying an incredible amount of skill and knowledge of the game, breaking veiwership records and recieving the most donations in the history of the co-ed hockey game. All this and yet her name is not included on any XOU produced media. Kitt leads the athletes in the lowest number of penalty minutes. She has lead her team to a nearly perfect  season, and has been selected to coach at the summer spectacular, a prestigious camp for female athletes.

Her counter part Axel Haden, number forty-two for the Knights, leads his team in penalty minutes, seventy percent being for unsportsmanlike conduct. He has lead to his team to a mediocre season, barely making it to the playoffs.

Axel's name is referenced sixty-two times in XOU media.

McCoy blames Director Thomas directly for these discrepancies. Saying that since his position at the school has given him the power, he has decreased support both financially and administratively for female athletes.

...

FUCK!

FUCK!FUCK!FFUUUUCK!

***

Kitt was about to puke. The article left nothing to the imagination. It wasn't wrong, but it also wasn't kind. Kitt ran as fast as her legs would carry her across the Sherwood forest campus to Josie's room.

"JOOOOOOOSSSSIIIIIEEEEEE!" Kitt yelled as she ran through the front door and up the stairs to the third floor.

"There she is! The only girl I know with massive iron clad balls!" Josie said coming out from the bathroom in a towel to greet her friend.

"I didn't think anyone was going to read it!" Kitt explain looking ill. Her phone dinged again with a notification. She glanced at the screen. Interview request. It was the third one in less than an hour.

"Everyone has read it." Josie grinned like a demented clown and clapped her on the back.

"I'm going to loose my scholarship! I'm going to get expelled!" Kitt said following Josie into her room and flopped dramatically across her bed.

"And you think the university would allow their star athlete to leave after you have brought in the most attention and donations the school had ever seen?? Doubtful." Josie said, smile still plastered on her lips.

"Star my ass." Kitt rolled her eyes.

"Miss McCoy! Was that a cuss word? Not very becoming of an athlete in the public eye." Josie waver her finger in clicked her tongue.

"How did this article get so popular so fast? Four people have sent it to me already!" Kitt practically whined.

"Because you said things no one else was willing to." Josie said more seriously this time.

"I was mad, and apparently stupid." Kitt hid her face in the pillow.

"Maybe it's just what this school needed, to have someone a little angry and just a teeny bit stupid to point things out." Josie said completely serious now.

Keisha stomed into the room with their third roommate Willow.

"My goodness you do like to cause a commotion!" She laughed looking at Kitt.

"It was an accident." Kitt mumbled into the pillow.

"Well either way, you can't put the toothpaste back into the tube." Willow said with a bit of an attitude.

"Wills?" Josie looked at her with a concerned expression.

"Look, it's all well and good that you speak up, because you are beloved after that game. But what about the rest of us? You think the women's swim team is held to a different standard? We had to give up our dressingroom to the men's team for a month while theirs was renovated, because they 'needed' new lockers and changerooms. New floor, new paint, new benches. Good thing the girl's team don't have to get dressed or use lockers... oh wait!" Willow looked at the group.

"Doesn't that piss you off though?" Kitt sat up holding her friends pillow in her lap.

"Sure it does but Marriska spoke up about it and very quickly she was suspended for unsportsmanlike conduct, a week before finals. But of course it had absolutely nothing to do with her opinion on the inequalities at this school." Willow looked at Kitt pointedly.

"That is such bullshit!" Kitt borrowed Josie's favorite saying.

"Exactly. So please excuse me if I am not clapping you on the back and congratulating you on a job well done." Willow said.

"Well maybe it is time for someone to do something about everyone's least favorite chauvinistic dictator. How has this gone unnoticed for so long?" Kitt stood up.

"Because it was slow at first and people don't like to fight the status quo. As soon as he got away with the first few changes with no pushback he basically had the green light to keep pushing the envelope." Keisha sneered.

"Well ladies, if you are willing to back me up, I think I have to follow through. Whether or not I like it, I am now a somebody and I need to stand up against this." Kitt let out a large sigh.

"If you are serious, I can think of over a hundred athletes who would stand behind you on this." Willow said looking her in the face.

"I think it is already happening, so unless you become a forest troll, you either have to stand up and deal with all of the repercussions or back out completely. This isn't somethingyou can do half way." Keisha warned.

"I don't think I can let it go now that I have said it out loud." Kitt said looking between her friends faces.

"Maybe talk to the coach before saying anything else, and talk to your parents." Keisha suggested.

"And a lawyer!" Josie added.

They all looked at her with irritation.

"What? Can't they sue for, Like, slander or something? Just saying." Josie raised her hands in surrender.

"Only if they can prove she is lying, or she can't produce any evidence to back up her claims." Willow assured them.

"Let's go burn this place to the ground!" Josie stood up. "Metaphorically, of course." She smiled.

***

"Can you wait one more day before you take any more interviews?" Coach Ten asked.

They sat in her office, the late afternoon sun came streaming in warming the room and giving it almost a storybook appearance.

"I can. But why?" Kitt asked. It seemed like they were quickly becoming partners in this, almost by accident.

"Because I filled an anonymous emergency audit request, and they need until tomorrow to execute it." Coach admitted.

"What does that mean exactly?" Kitt asked, heart thumping heavily in her chest. She suddenly realized that this thing was bigger than just her opinions and complaints. She wanted equality for all athletes, but it suddenly became apparent that was going to mean a lot more than just spouting off her complaints.

"Coach?" She felt dizzy.

"Yeah?" Her coach looked worried.

"What if I can't do this?" Kitt was worried all of the sudden that she wasn't the right person for the job.

"No one is going to make you do anything, but if you really feel passionate about this you have an opportunity to make real long lasting changes, not only for your friends and teammates but for all the girls coming up behind you." Coach said explaining the gravity of the situation, the importance of it and the impact on women's sports could be incredible.

"I know I have to finish what I started, I , didn't mean to start anything..." her voice trailed off and she looked at her hands in her lap.

"Kitt are you ready for this? It could get bigger than either of us." The coach warned her.

"No, but yes." Kitt nodded. "I can't let the next generation fight the same fight. My mom always said 'if you ever think: someone should do something! Remember: YOU are somebody!'" She would want me to stand up against inequality if I had the opportunity." Kitt felt her heart in her throat. Thinking about her mom always made her emotional.

"Why don't you call your parents while I draft up some notes and we can meet again tomorrow morning before classes?" Coach asked.

"Yeah, that sounds good. I want to talk to some people." Kitt had an idea.

***

Working out in the females only gym made finding the people she wanted to talk to easier than she would have thought.

Kitt wanted to speak to other female athletes 'off the record' to see what their experiences were and try to figure out how far this thing went.

"Kitt, you have to understand, having a Ringette team is a privilege. If it gets out that we are complaining, the program will be cut and that's it." A tall plain faced girl said almost in a hushed whisper, like if anyone heard her, they would take her beloved sport away instantly.

"Why do you think that though? Do you think the football team feels that way? I don't think so. You have been told all that to keep you from complaining to loud when you are treated like an after thought." Kitt said harshly, she was angry that this story wasn't unique, instead, of the fifty or so girls she had spoken to, every single one had a similar response.

One girl said that her gymnastics coaches were forced to split their time between the team and multiple other non-related duties, leaving less time and energy for coaching.

A girl playing tennis said that she and her fellow women had to hire a private coach on their own dime to equal the instruction the men's team received from the school employed coaches.

A female basketball player talked about how they were given handed down equipment and were just 'not allowed' to use the new equipment that was right in front of them because it belonged to the men's team.

Sort after story, it was evident that each woman athlete experienced sexism and systematic discrimination. Kitt felt angry and dizzy.

The women's gym was full of athletes  with Kitt in the center, teammates called each other, roommates, floor mates and friends all called one another to come speak to Kitt, share their stories and really come together for the very first time.

Before she gave another interview Kitt filed all the paperwork to start the first Collegiate Female Athletes Association (CFAA). It was the protection she required to speak on their behalf publicly and the support she needed emotionally.

By the end of the first day the CFAA had over five hundred new members.

***

Kitt was ready. The lights were bright and the stage was set. Coach Ten sat beside her and her statement was printed out on the table infront of her.

The buzz of the room was palpable. Reporters and photographers all sat on bated breath for the press conference to begin.

"Welcome, today is a day of change and a step towards true equality here at Xavinn Olitor University. We will start out with a statement by starting Center for the XOU Puck Princesses, Kittridge McCoy. We will take questions following her statement." Coach said loud and clear and firm.

Members of the school administration stood along the wall and watched as Kitt prepared to speak.

"I am in a unique situation here at Xavinn Olitor University, I am a female athlete with media attention and a platform I didn't ask for. I simply played the game I love to the best of my abilities. I didn't realize how much was going to change that day. It seems like our little game was the catalyst needed to thrust the inequalities between the men's and women's teams into the spotlight. My personal views were shared in an interview with the very talented Missy Frow of the Tribune, which seemed resonate with many athletes at this institution. The administration would like me to apologize and say I was on my period, feeling emotion or blame it on hormones. But after speaking to over fifty fellow athletes I realized I wasn't alone. Our voices had been silenced with subtle threats and gaslighting. I am here today to announce the formation of the Collegiate Female Athletes Association. A body comprised of female athletes, coaches and support staff for the equality of Collegiate Athletics." Kitt felt shaky as she addressed the room of hushed voices and eager looking faces. She hoped her voice was strong and didn't betray her nerves to the hungry reporters.

"An investigation has been launched into the Athletics Department administration, the results of which have yet to be determined." Coach Ten shared.

The air in the room felt heavy. Kitt knew as soon as they were given permission the questions would be unleashed. She felt her head swimming.

"We are open to questions." Coach said cautiously.

Everyone began speaking at once, just like in the movies when the president announces aliens are real. The crowd seemed to surge forward making Kitt instinctively recoil back.

"You." Coach pointed at a young woman with firy red hair.

"Kitt, did you expect the Director of Athletics to respond to your interview? And if so what did you expect from him?" The woman stood up and asked clearly.

"I didn't expect any of this." Kitt replied honestly.