A Girl That Plays Football

My 12yr old daughter, Emily, plays football. She has been on a team since she was 7 because no team will take kids younger than that except for flag football. She said "That's lame! I can't tackle?!".

She first let us know that she wanted to play when she was 4. She let us know by sitting under a tree and crying at every one of her brothers games that year. "I just want to play, Mom!" she would wail, completely devastated. "Dad's a coach, you play for the Valkyries, all my brothers play, even Alexis [her sister] tried out for her school's team! Why can't I play?"

So she waited NOT very patiently. The spring when she was 7, her father signed her and one of our boys up without telling them. Then he let her know about 2 days later, and she freaked!!! She gathered her brothers and all the boys in the neighborhood in our backyard to start running drills. The boys took turns for the next 2 months drilling with her almost everyday. She was obsessed.

Just before the season began, I got a call from her soon-to-be coach, asking why this little girl wanted to play. He didn't want me to misunderstand; he wasn't being chauvinistic, it's just that, from his experience, most girls who play usually wait until they are 11 or 12 to prove that they're as good as the boys are. So I told him the family's football background, that she literally learned to walk on a football field, and that we are all obsessed with the game.

The first season was interesting. There were some who truly believed that a girl shouldn't be on the field, and their boys would repeat this to Emily during practices. Most of her teammates realized that, on the field, she was just another player, and would back her up to those boys who cut her down. There were even people in our own family who felt that we were crazy to let her play. My father-in-law even suggested tennis, instead. I bit my tongue but my mother-in-law didn't. She told him that he just didn't "get" Emily, and to back off. (Thanks, Mom!)

She has proved that she belongs there, just like any other kid. She has become an incredible running back (offense), averaging 4 yards per carry. She is middle linebacker (defense), with at least one quarterback sack every game. She's also a key player for their special teams, both kickoff and kick returns. This year her team has a few new coaches who understand how valuable of a player she is to the team. There are several kids who are great players on this team and she is one of them. This season has been a great year for her team. They are probably going to the Carnation Bowl playoffs (the leagues version of a Super Bowl).

Emily's ultimate dream is to be the first woman signed to the NFL. There have been women in minor leagues, and we've even had our own Women's Leagues off and on in the past. She wants NFL. I do not have the heart to tell her that a woman in the big leagues probably will not happen in her lifetime. I am also very well aware that, if any woman can do it, it's my daughter who will make it happen. You go, GIRL!!!