Ex-football player to talk about abuse to women's center
Katie Hnida was living her dream.
Hnida made history by being the first woman to play Division 1 College Football for the University of Colorado in 1999. She was a star place-kicker at Chatfield High School in Littleton, Colo, and was named as the "Number One Teen Most Likely to Change the World," by Teen People Magazine.
Hnida's future was bright. But everything changed when Hnida came forward with stories about being raped and sexually abused by her fellow players at Colorado.
Hnida will talk about her experiences at the 7th Annual Women Helping Women luncheon at the Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center in Gurnee on June 19.
Hnida said she encountered sexual harassment on the very first day of practice. She said the verbal abuse escalated to physical groping during huddles on the practice field.
In the summer of 2000, Hnida was sexually assaulted and raped by a teammate while visiting at his house.
"It was a minute that changed my life," Hnida told Katie Couric during an interview in 2005.
She didn't file charges or go public out of fear of losing her position on the team.
"I knew I couldn't go to coach Gary Barnett. I knew he would kick me off the team," she said. "All I wanted was to be a football player. I didn't want to bring up something like that because I thought it might mess up my chances, as sick as that sounds."
She eventually sought help from a local rape crisis center and received hours of counseling that she credits for her ongoing healing.
Impressed by the work at the Zacharias Center, Hnida said she'll focus on hope in her speech.
"I want to let people know joy is possible. They may wonder if life will ever get back to normal," Hnida said. "I'm here to say it is possible. Once you can get through the rough patches, life will come back again."
Nearly 600 people attended last year's event. The program runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will feature tours of the Center, a silent auction/raffle, and a box lunch. Individual tickets are $100. Group discounts are available.
The Gurnee-based Zacharias agency is the only rape crisis center in Lake County. The 25-year-old group provides free counseling for children and adults, a 24-hour hotline and educational programs in schools and hospitals, among other places. They provide 24-hour counseling services and advocacy for victims and families.
Hnida is on the speaking circuit these days and continues to write. Her first book, "Still Kicking: My Journey as the First Woman to Play Division I College Football," was published in 2006. The story details her time at Colorado and the abuse she received from her teammates.
She says she's grateful for the work being done at the Zacharias Center.
"I know from my own experience how important these abuse centers are," Hnida said. "I'm amazed by everything that the Zacharias Center does. Every town should have a place like this."
To register for the lunch visit zcenter.org or call (847) 244-1187.