… Girls Tackle Football…

football

Growing up, I was a tom boy.  I was not into dance class, beauty pageants, or being dainty.  I had three other brothers and developed a love for sports at a very young age.  Being from Texas you could not help but be engulfed in the football culture.  Although I wanted to play a sport like football, the only option I was offered was to be a cheerleader and watch on the side line.

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Naturally being a tom boy, most of my friends were guys.  It was a pleasure being able to stand on the side line and cheer them on.  But to be able to be on the field with them would have been an amazing experience! I was able to play flag football during special events (when girls were actually allowed to play football).  I even did quite well in flag football and led my team to a victory each year that we played. This was as close as I could get to feeling the grass under my feet, field goals in my peripheral, and the pig skin in my hands while my peers and teachers screamed and cheered for me.

This dream of mine has become a reality for a small group of young girls in Utah.  The Utah Girls Tackle Football League is the first league in the United States to allow girls to play tackle football.  The girls are becoming pioneers and changing what it means to “Play like a girl”.

I feel that these girls, families, and organization are getting a lot of grief for allowing these girls to do something that they clearly enjoy doing.  The organization is made up of 50 players that are split into 4 different teams.   Sam Gordon, the organizations creator and organizer, has a daughter that…how do I put this nicely…SMOKED the boys she was playing with in a “regular” boys youth football league.  He made sure to research what would be the best equipment options for the girls and how to evolve the rules to cater to the safety of the players.

Lighter helmets, better fitting pads, and a smaller football help to create this league which is paving the way for potential tackle football leagues all across the USA.

To the ladies in this league, the families who support them, and the team organizers, THANK YOU! This opportunity is opening so many doors for these young athletes and to sports for women.  It is clear that the organizers did their research to ensure the safety of their children. In reality what sport is 100% safe?  There is room for error and injury with ANYTHING that you do.  I am just happy that these young girls are able to live out a dream that I personally had while I was growing up.  Instead of being the cheerleaders, they are able to pad up and join their peers on the field.  I salute you and hope that I have the opportunity to see a game in person or help in some sort of way at some point in my lifetime.

Until we meet…. PLAY LIKE A GIRL! *virtual high five* 😛