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Palen, who graduated in 2020 from Rochester Lourdes, was a freshman on this year’s women’s team, finishing solid 14-4 and doing so with a host of players attached to the hips.
In the 20-year coaching and monitoring teams, this was a close-knit group I’ve never seen, Tommies coach Ken Cychosz said. They all trust each other, they all fight for each other and they all spend time together outdoors.
Palenia was most disturbed by the removal of all cohesion.
RELATED: Palen, teammates facing the elimination of tennis at St. Thomas University
Now, six weeks later, Palen, his teammates, and the Title IX skilled attorney they hired (Arthur Bryant), who threatened St. Thomas ’decision at trial, had been reinstated in women’s tennis at a private college that will make the move to Division I in all sports this fall. Men’s tennis is non-refundable.
St. Thomas offered this statement last week on women’s tennis translation: However, the University recognizes that fighting Title IX lawsuits would be very costly and time consuming. St. Thomas would prefer to invest its resources in student initiatives, including a women’s tennis program. Therefore, while the reasons for removing the programs are good, St. Thomas agreed to return the women’s team. The men’s program will not be returned.
Still nervous
While this change in plans was content with Palen, he says there are still too many unanswered questions for him to commit to returning to St. Thomas. He said the shell is likely to decide his mind in the coming weeks about school and tennis in the future.
We haven’t had contact with the school yet, Palen said. But we’ll meet with them later this week. There are issues and discussions to address. Most of our players are happy now, but I feel like we still have something to disappoint.
At the top of the list, Palen says, is St. Thomas’s lack of honesty about Title IX compliance.
Our team was reinstated for the next 4-5 years until all (current players) eligibility requirements have been exhausted, Palen said. And St. Thomas has agreed to draw up a plan by March 2022 to ensure that it is in line with Title IX and that everyone is treated fairly.
But it is disappointing that on the St. Thomas website, they said they would follow Title IX all the time when they weren’t. They said they did not want to use their resources to fight lawsuits because it is expensive and time consuming. It is disappointing that they did not take responsibility for not following the rules.
Its Cychoszs hopes Palen and all of last season’s lineups return in the fall.
He considered it a special group.
I love this team and they definitely love each other, Cychosz said. I would like to coach all these girls again.
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