Chapter 32

Waking Sunday morning after the win was one of the joys of coaching. Jared only wished Meg had felt better the night before. She wondered if she had eaten something bad at the game, but was unable to pin it down. Jared had fallen asleep massaging her troubled belly hoping to calm it enough for her to fade away herself. As his eyes adjusted to the room he realized he was alone in the bed and the clock read 10:10. He heard the din of the TV and knew Declan had gotten up and probably woke his Mother. He quickly played the game back in his head and enjoyed every millisecond of the condensed playback. He peeled back the cover to jump from the bed when he saw a towel laying over a spot just midway just midway on Meaghan's side. He picked it up to reveal a large blood soaked stain on the sheet and most likely into the mattress.

"Damn", He thought to himself, "She must have gotten her period over night, obviously sneaking up on her."

Jared made his way top the living room and found Declan watching his TV shows with Meg reclined on the sofa, half asleep.

He tousled Declan's hair and gave him a kiss on the top of the head and went and kneeled by Meg's side.

""Mommy doesn't feel good Coach." Declan whispered as she opened her eyes.

"Curse snuck up on you huh? Was that what had you sick last night?" He said low for her.

"Yes," She said running her hand up his arm to pull him nearer for a kiss on the cheek. "And I was about 5 days late and a little worried too. This was the first new patch from the ones with this doctor, new brand, new dose, and Meaghan's plumbing is apparently having a bit of a snit with it." She said, speaking of herself in the third person.

"God, I was a mess and what you saw was WITH a pad. When I first woke up I wondered if I was having morning sickness! Then I had wicked cramps and even wondered if I was miscarrying. I mean, I NEVER have bad periods. I've been flowing heavy and passing clots, what a mess. I'm sorry to gross you out and ruin our day." She apologized.

"For God's sake, don't apologize. I worry about you, are you OK now?" He asked.

"I think so, I even called by new gyno's service and spoke to them, explained it and he called me back already, saying I should have gone a month without anything before starting again. He made the call back then and I agreed to it. My period usually only lasts a day or two and we have sex right through it and you wouldn't barely know it, most of the time." She said as her face brightened and pulled him closer to kiss again, this time on the lips.

Holding him closely she smiled and confided, "Don't worry, I'll still take care of you later when we have our Sunday "alone time". I don't want either one of us to miss that." She said with a sexy smirk.

"You worry about feeling better, I can wait for that. We have our whole lives." He said with a smile, pulling back.

She pulled him closer quickly. "I WANT that, feeling close to you. That WILL make me feel better!" She said sincerely.

He grinned and winked before moving away to let her rest as he went to the kitchen to find breakfast, with Declan padding behind.

"Mommy made oatmeal with "cimmanin" maple, and raisins, and I left some for you on the hot spot." The boy said, pointing to the pot sitting over the warming circle. "Mommy left the pot on the table and went to lay down, so I put it up there for you." He said proudly.

Jared picked him up, hugged him and thanked him before serving himself a bowl of the Vermont specialty. He had enough time for breakfast and a shower before meeting with his victorious team.

At 11:45 players and coaches began to drift into the locker room area and meeting rooms at Meditek Stadium. At about 5 until noon Boge Hollins and Jazz Carey began going down a roster list to see if anyone was missing. Jazz stood on a stool and called out names of faces he didn't see.

"Whiskey? Anyone seen Jack? ... and Benny, has anyone seen Ben Breen?" Jazz hollered over the low din.

Barry Wicker, a defensive line coach and assistant spoke up.

"Jack was excused for a family thing they have today, his whole family flew in and Ben's Mom is real sick, he went home Friday. He asks you remember her in your prayers, if you're so inclined." Barry said as he was taking his own roll on a clipboard.

Ben was one of 3 red-shirted players who didn't practice on Fridays before games or suit up, but were required to be at all team meetings.

The sound of Coaches coming up the hall made Barry Wicker turn to the assembled players and yell, "OK, stools, stools everybody!"

The room quickly quieted and each player sat at the foot of their locker looking to the podium. As Jared stood before them and began to grin uncontrollably, the players began to applaud as if on cue. As the applause died shouts of CLICK again waved over the room.

"Thank you everyone, but it's YOU I have to applaud. Big hearts, big plays, ... a real smart game. There's not an ounce of give-up in any of you. Superb execution of a game plan even if we had to tweak. Above all, taking advantage of other teams mistakes. They give you breaks, you take them. It's the sign of a great team. I think we're headed that way. We're going to make some noise and your efforts are not going by un-noticed. Mikki Martin's article is being picked up for Tuesday's edition of SI and we'll be on the cover barring any last minute sports bulletins. She just called me and faxed the copy of the story. Someone is out making a copy for each of you and we'll get the magazine for all of you when it comes out. I'll read the whole thing to you as it stands right now. She assured me that this is the full copy, things may get cut, but nothing added. So, here goes..."

(Reading aloud from a faxed copy) Although having female members on a NCAA Division One football team has been done before, it has always been nothing much more than a stunt. For one of the most successful coaches in Division Two Football to graduate to Division One and try to add not one, but two women athletes, and to even red shirt another, it again seems like a stunt to draw attention to his program. But for Coach Jared "Winning" Winslow, nothing could be further from the truth. When 2 women come in and flat out beat any men vying for their positions he had no other choice but to add them and they are already paying off dividends for him. Amazingly, his third female footballer, who is currently red-shirted to leave 4 years of eligibility intact, could easily walk on and take a position on the team. As a matter of fact, in the event of a serious injury, she's quite prepared to do just that.

Meet Oksana Cushman, Julie Murcer and June Bokue, the 3 female student athletes currently involved with The New England Agricultural and Technological Schools Division One NCAA Division One football program. (3 short biographies of their school and sports experience will appear with High School yearbook photos)

None of the 3 are intimidated by walking into a locker room with 67 other male athletes to dress for the days practice schedule. The only difference from the other almost 70 locker positions is that they have a private shielded area in which to change, but still hear the teammate chatter and cajoling that comes with playing the sport. They even come out to lace up their football shoes on their stools as the others dress. A plastic shield hung in the middle of the room protects the other players dressing stalls that are in eye reach. The footballing ladies only restriction is walking freely beyond their spot in the locker room.

"Being all together reinforces the "team" concept. We know what's going on with everyone else, know all the team jokes, you know, the "inside" stuff. The kidding, ball-busting ... well, maybe that's a bad way to put it ... but all the things you might expect from a large group of 60 or 70 young college kids." Julie Murcer told me as I sat beside her lacing up my own cleats to go out and have a work out with the group.

I sat in the fourth unused stall, 20 minutes before players started showing up, trying to figure out what pieces of equipment went on where as I dressed to take part in Wednesdays workout and practice session. Once the team arrived I sat quietly and listened, unbeknownst to the rest of the team, to get an inkling in the locker room gabbing if any of the damning internet chatter that has appeared in blog-posts about what goes on in this co-ed locker room were true. After doing that, then going out onto the field with the team to work out and later talk with several members of the NEAT squad I came to one conclusion;

Everything you've heard and read is false. The respect these players have for each other is tremendous and if co-captain Boge Hollins had an inkling of any such activity it would stop immediately. Although only a freshman, he has quickly made an impression on his teammates to be a leader and inspiration. Even Seniors like Jack "Whiskey" Daniels have conceded overall control of the team heartbeat to Hollins. The Senior players on the team saw a changing of the guard with the new head coach and then were bowled over by the leadership Hollins exhibited. They all agreed to forego the traditional playful hazing of freshman players.

"Boge Hollins came from a high school football program that was as intense as any in this conference, at least up until now." Said the stand-out offensive center Daniels. " He quickly changed a lot of the attitudes we had here. I didn't know what to expect when I read all of the things about him and his background. When he came in here he laid all of his cards on the table and he has given us no reason to doubt his heart or talent. Once it became apparent that we would be a co-ed team he was the first one to talk about a hazing ban because of the implications that might be drawn when it involved any of the girls. He's been victim of rumor and innuendo and so, keeps a sharp eye on the horizon. He's earned all of the admiration any of us have for him."

Jack Daniels feelings were echoed by other players I spoke to on the team. There is far too much respect for each other on this squad to think that anything written on the internet could be anything but fabrication. Coach Winslow has instilled a goal, a mission in each of them.

Kemmer Brooks is a junior and was the offensive star of this team before Boge Hollins got here to take the brunt of the running duties and Tim Waters became the quarterbacks favorite target. But Brooks can do everything on offense, and do it well. He has a chance to go in the 1st to 3rd rounds of the draft when he graduates, at least that's what NFL touts are talking right now. He's the ultimate all-purpose back. He was the diamond in the rough picked by former NFL and NEAT coach Sherm Woodard to be the horse of this team. Losing the limelight hasn't bothered Brooks at all and is a prime example of the T-E-A-M mentality of the group, plus he knows he'll be able to showcase all of his skills in his last two years. He was philosophical when we spoke; "We know we aren't going to be a national champion or anything, and at least this year, maybe not even be the best team in our conference. But, as long as we earn respect in the NorthEast Ten and give each team a run for the money each Saturday, we can look in the mirror and know we've improved that much more with each game. We've felt that way with each game so far, win or lose. We keep surprising ourselves. Coach Winslow has a way of bringing out the best in everyone. We aren't fooling ourselves to think that we can play with established conferences, with the Longhorns or Gators, but our time will come and those teams will have to move over eventually. I know one thing, they have no more heart than we do."

Of the three females team members, the one who expected to feel the most pressure was June Bokue. While the other two co-ed's on the team are kickers, June is a wide receiver and will take time away from an established male player once she cracks the line-up. But, her teammates see that she works as hard or harder than any player every day she practices. June is being red-shirted for the year, not playing in any official games, although she did play in scrimmages in the practice season. Her school studies will require 5 years, maybe 6 to complete. She will have practiced with the team, been with the team for a year when she comes in next year and should have no problem making the squad. She's not a small girl, but not husky by any stretch. At 5' 9" she looks somewhat masculine in her uniform, she's sneaky fast and has great hands. Walking around campus in her jeans and a crop-top tee all the guys make no mistake about her being "feminine" as she can easily turn heads.

Of her situation with the team, June says: "The team had no punter any where near as skilled as Oksana, so it was easy for the team to accept her. It was obvious that Brian (Faraday) would be the predominant place-kicker in the conference and not many guys are going out for 2nd string place kicker, so Julie also adapted easily. But I know, and I've proved, that I can play at this level. I'm not trying to push anyone to the bench, but as good as this team gets this year, I'm very confident I can make them better next year. I wanted a chance and they busted my butt for the first week of practice to break me and I'm still here. Everyone has been fair and respectful all of the time. My high school program was run by Gary Gray, a disciple of Coach Winslow, so I knew what to expect."

Julie Murcer came to the team on a whim and was asked to take it more seriously by Coach Winslow and Brian Faraday.

"Administration paired me up with Oksana during Freshman Orientation because of our backgrounds. I was with Okkie when Coach Pressley called her and told her to be sure to try out this year, that there was a new regime. I went along as somewhat of a joke, almost a dare. I helped Brian work out a few kinks in his style (as placekicking was new to the soccer star) and before I knew it they asked me to suit up and take a few shots. That's the short version, but pretty much the way it happened."

I'm a sports reporter who has covered mostly female Olympians, but not exclusively. I've been in lots of locker rooms. Most were "all female" in an Olympic setting. Whenever I was in a traditional male locker room, as soon as I stepped in there were hoots and cat calls from the back of those halls and shower rooms. "Smooth-bottom in the house", "The other team is here", "Cover 'em up, peeker on board" and "Lady shopping" are just a few of the things I've heard trying to get an interview, or background for a story. I've had to swallow my pride and hold my journalistic integrity up like a shield to get my story. This locker room was not like that. Men and women came and went through this locker room as equals with a common goal amongst them. They respect each other.

Are there sexual innuendos and sexist comments tossed about?

These are college aged young men and women with hormones raging, what would you expect?

Is any of it done to hurt or disrespect any one person or group?

Not a chance. As a reporter I was told where I could and couldn't go in the room to avoid personal embarrassment,. But I was not restricted in any way, it was my choice. When I sat covertly in an empty women's dressing stall and listened to the work-a-day proceedings unfold for a normal practice, I heard nothing to make me think there were any problems here.

I wondered if there were any male/female relationships that developed among the team. Coach Winslow made it clear to all that such relationships were unhealthy for the team and if they developed he would only deal with them if problems arose. I got the feeling that if anything wanted to develop, the players involved would hold their hormones and urges at bay until seasons end. I did feel there may have been a few casual encounters among the team, but nothing overtly advertised to the team or public eye, just as they may occur in any workplace, or co-ed dormitory, for that matter.

From what I know and what I've seen from talking to male counterparts who cover college football exclusively, I have to ask one question; If any of these women were in the Big Ten, Pac-10 or any other Division 1A schools, could they crack the line-ups?

While not a consensus, the answer is probably YES.

Naysayers worry about the hits, whether a woman can take it as well as a man. The women themselves insist they can and show no outward fear. While not as tall as some of her male counterparts, Oksana Cushman seems to be as sized and skilled as any punter, her average yardage and hang-time at or near the league lead. Julie Murcer lacks the size to be considered seriously, however, consider that while playing in one of the toughest high school conferences in the country she never missed an extra point or field goal of 35 yards or less. While 2nd string place-kicker seems a thankless job, there are probably none anywhere in college football as skilled.

June Bokue seems to be another story altogether. Players and coaches alike tell me she could step in and be the key receiver on this squad, and many others as well. While certainly feminine in her street clothes, she has the size, the speed, the moves and the hands of a gifted receiver. In scrimmages versus real opponents and intra-team play she wouldn't give anyone the impression she "was a girl". She was smart to avoid the limelight of being "the girl" on this team because of the intense pressure it would bring. Unless the team really needs her, she plans on keeping her 4 years of eligibility for her last four years of the program she is taking.

Oksana Cushman has successfully broken the female player stigma, at least in this conference, as an everyday player making great contributions to a team effort. June Bokue wants to jump on that same train.

" ... and then there will be a wrap-up paragraph, updating the fact that we WON YESTERDAY." Coach Winslow said as the group cheered and "clicked" before Coach put up his hands to quiet them.

"There will also be an inset article on me, I'm proud to say." He said pausing for more cheers to his embarrassment.

" ... and there will be another small inset on Brain Faraday, noting the fact he also plays on the Soccer squad while being in the National Collegiate Top 10 in scoring..." He added to more cheers from the group around a red-faced Brian.