Female football player sues over injury

Evansville, Wis. -- A lawsuit filed against a Wisconsin high school claims that a football coach tried to discourage a female player by keeping her from wearing safety equipment.

Ivyanne Elborough broke her clavicle during practice last year when she was a freshman at Evansville High School. The lawsuit filed in federal court Tuesday says that she was a victim of gender discrimination, the Wisconsin State Journal reports.

The suit blames Ron Grovesteen, the football coach, for the injury. Elborough and her parents claim that Grovesteen refused to give her a key to the girls' locker room, making it difficult for her to get equipment, and then told her to practice blocking drills without equipment which the male players had.

The injury "made her unable to participate in football, crushed her dreams of becoming the first professional female football player, caused her to miss school, go through surgery and other medical procedures," her lawyer said in a complaint.

Heidi Carver, the Evansville school administrator, said that the girl's claims were investigated last year by both the district and its insurer, and no evidence was found that they were true.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.