This is American Football and not the football that the rest of the world has come to know and love.

Strength of Character

Sarah was the only daughter out of 4 children and she was the youngest. Her three brothers were all athletic and played football, and so it was no wonder that Sarah developed a liking to the game. Sarah was quite the tomboy. At the age of six, rather than play jump rope, she was practicing her sprints. At nine, she was tackling her brothers instead of picking daisies.

And now at fourteen, while the other girls are reading cosmopolitan, she’s studying football plays in order get an edge up at the coming football tryouts. However, Jen, Sarah’s childhood best friend, tries desperately to talk her out of it.

“So, you’re really going to go through with this? It’s not a sport for girls. You know it’s gonna make you the number one gossip topic for weeks,” Jen asks.

“Yeah, but I’m prepared for that,” answers Sarah.

Jen exclaims, “Of course you are! You’re okay with everything. But, what about me? I’ll never get a date because all the guys will know that I’m the sidekick of the She-Hulk!”

“She-Hulk! That’s hilarious,” laughs Sarah.

“Haha, I just thought of it now. Well, if you have to do it, don’t make me look bad.”

When Sarah arrives at the field for the tryouts, she receives all the attention. The coaches ring up the principal for guidance, “Yes, unfortunately, Bob you will have to bear with it.”

The tryouts begin with laps around the field. As Sarah is running some of the boys slap her butt as they pass her.

One of the more sincere boys says, “I apologize for those guys. There really a bunch of assholes, but I just don’t think this is a sport for girls.” The guys crowding Sarah nod in agreement.

The coach directs everyone to practice their tackles on dummies. Sarah runs to meet the dummy, but she doesn’t get it as far as the boys.

The coach barks, “Come on, a girl can do better than that!”

“The rest of the tryout for that day was just as hard and degrading,” Sarah cries as she explains her story to her mother.

Sarah’s mother comforts her and says, “Don’t worry it’s going to be okay, honey. You don’t need to go to the second tryout tomorrow.”

“But, I am going to,” Sarah says earnestly.

“Honey, this isn’t a sport for girls,” her mom advises.

“Yeah, so I hear, but it’s what I want to do.”