X-Women angry about placement in IM league

Former varsity hoops players denied chance to play againt top men's teams

Ten former varsity women's basketball players joined together this year to become the X-Women, an intramural team they hoped would become a competitive force. The team feels their goals have been prematurely foiled.

According to team captain sophomore Beth O'Brien, the X-Women planned to play in the Gold League, the top level of intramural play. Instead, the team was assigned to the co-rec league, which is comprised of less experienced players. On Thursday night, the co-rec league was scrapped in favor of a new Silver League organized by senior Arati Raghavan.

The sign-up sheet for intramural basketball requires a team to select either the gold, silver or bronze division. Teams are also asked to classify their team as men's, women's or co-rec.

"We signed up for the Gold League but we also checked co-rec," said O'Brien. According to O'Brien, the team did not classify themselves as a women's team because they knew beforehand there would not be enough women's teams to field a league.

"I gave them what they wanted," said Director of Intramural Sports Jeff White. "I'm thinking I put them in the league they want to be in."

Only three teams were assigned to the co-rec league, including the X-Women. The other teams, known as the Slam-Drunks and Ass, classified themselves as bronze. There is no women's league.

League assignments were posted on Friday. On Tuesday, sophomore Whitney Smith asked White if the team could switch to the gold league. "He told me he was making an exception to let us play at all since we don't have any men on our team," Smith said. "He said he assumed when we put co-rec we wanted to play with people who hadn't played before."

O'Brien said she feels as former college varsity players the team would be comfortable in the gold league. "Yes, they're six and seven feet tall, but we're able to play," said O'Brien.

White said he was willing to allow a women's team to play in the men's league, but the X-Women did not make their intentions clear until it was too late. "They wanted me to change the schedule and it was just too late," White said. "I felt bad for them. I said if you win your division you go to the gold league playoffs. I thought I was at least accommodating."

"The play-offs are going to be like Michael Jordan. We'd be dunked on," Smith said. "We never said we were going to win the gold league."

"It belittles our talent," O'Brien said of White's suggestion. "It would embarrass us."

"I didn't do anything wrong," White said. "It's not my fault there aren't more teams. I advertised it, I promoted it."

Two members of the X-Women met with Athletic Director Don Hunsinger on Wednesday.

"His whole issue is safety," said one of the players who met with Hunsinger and wished to remain anonymous. "He thinks we're going to get hurt and our parents are going to call. Authority is taken by the college to decide what level women are going to play at but not what level men are going to play at. What about the men who are scrappy? What about them?"

"They're worried we'll bring the level of competition down," the player said. "But one concern no one is talking about is teams in the co-rec league bringing our level of competition down."

According to the players who met with Hunsinger, he suggested that if the players wanted a competitive game they ought to join the varsity team.

"I just wanted to say something about Oberlin's tradition of liberalism," O'Brien said. "This is just one example of many of not supporting women's athletics. What does this say to other women?"

Hunsinger declined to comment. "There are people starving in this world, and there are really serious issues, and this is not one of them. I have no comment," said Hunsinger.

The X-Women continue to practice twice a week. On Tuesday, the team picked up its first win by forfeit. Only three members of Ass appeared, sending the X-Women to co-rec finals before the season's first tip-off.

Raghavan, a member of the X-Women and an assistant to Jeff White, submitted a reconfigured league to White on Thursday. The newly minted Silver league includes all three co-rec teams as well as two teams mined from the Gold League. White approved the revision, which went into effect on Thursday evening.

The X-Women faced their first competition from the Slam-Drunks on Thursday. The Slam-Drunks utilized their size to nab a quick lead over the X-Women. The Slam-Drunks emerged victorious, beating the former varsity players soundly.

"I think they would have gotten beat in the Gold League," said sophomore Nate Knaebel, a member of the Slam-Drunks.

"We lost tonight but we're going to win tomorrow," said junior Ellen Kazary. "The greatest thing about intramurals is we all have fun. It's crazy to see a team of women playing basketball at Oberlin having fun."

Sophomore Mike Schaeffer, a Slam-Drunk, stopped to talk to the huddled X-Women as he walked off the court. "If anyone got hurt, it was us," Schaeffer said. "You guys were brutal."