I feel like not being nervous is the secret to being a great kicker.
I feel I am just focused on making the kick
and there is nothing else really going through my head.
If you let your nerves take control of you
you're more likely going to mess up.
And I think by keeping a clear head
you’re focused on the goal and the one thing
you have to do and to get through the uprights.
There's 64 of us on the team.
I'm the only girl on the football team.
I started on as a freshman on varsity.
I remember trying out a bunch of different sports.
I played softball for 2 years.
Basketball.
I started playing soccer when I was four years old.
Just for rec mostly.
Right to ya.
Yeah it was.
I just really like to be part of a team.
My friends came up to me, I think it was after a soccer game.
And they were like why don’t you kick for a football team?
And I don’t know it was a kind of a joke at that point.
And they kept saying it.
And I guess I just got the idea in my head
that I maybe could actually do that.
I had already been convinced and I was excited for the season.
But the hard part was convincing my mom.
My mother was worried that I would get hit.
But I think she gradually came around to that idea.
We needed a kicker cause ours graduated.
She always, she talked about talked wanting to play and I seen her kick in games.
Soccer.
And I had seen her kick about 40 yards out.
And so I told her if she was serious I’d come help her kick.
Normally people it takes a little bit to adjust to kicking a football.
And I think, I don’t know.
She just like booted it.
So as soon as she did that I got my phone out and tapped the next one.
And sent it right to Coach Miller.
The kids sent me videos of her out here kicking on the game field one day.
Of course, I call him and was like how far is that?
That’s 40 yards and I said that is pretty impressive.
So that is the first video I had of her.
She just came out and kicked.
Never kicked a football before in her life.
So, I told her you know, that I would give her a chance.
I let her know in the very beginning
that nothing is given on this team, everything is earned.
And that were not doing publicity stunt
and I asked how genuine she was.
Did she really want to kick?
And she, you know.
She assured me she was and she has worked very hard since that decision.
She is so good at what she does.
She is like an asset.
Yeah she is key contributor of the team.
She is leading on the conference.
In kicking.
On top of the conference.
In kicking.
She is like sixth in the state in scoring from kickers.
She is excelling.
Being the only girl on the football team it's a little weird.
Honestly!
Especially since I've been used to teams with all girls.
I was a little scared of what the boys would say.
How they would treat me.
Just like the overall response to me being on the team.
But I am glad to say that, there's been no problem.
All the boys have been really great to me
and I have made some really great friends through it.
Julia!
It’s just a very different dynamic in the way they act
and the way that they mess around with each other.
They have no filter.
They just say what comes to mind.
And I think that is very different from the way girls act.
But I think I have gotten used to it and I think that it'll
be weird switching back to all girls after the season is over.
You know we got good kids here.
And they know that I don’t tolerate
any type of hazing, bullying or anything like that.
Everybody is accepted.
We have been friends with her so long so like
the bond is already there.
So she just fit right in
with like the group we already had.
I don’t know I really don’t think about it.
She is like kind of one of the
one of the guys I guess.
She doesn’t get coddled at all.
Just cause she is like a girl.
I guess people expect us to like
to like treat her like she on the fragile, whatever.
But not at all.
…being given away tonight at the end of the game.
Or near the end of game.
And it's our one dollar each.
One dollar each.
Troutman I think runs on football.
That's like it’s a big part of this town.
It's something that draws our community together.
And I play soccer with Julia,
we have been friends since about freshman year.
Honestly, I think she has always been pretty fearless.
She's really inspiring going out here.
Breaking stereotypes by becoming a kicker on the football team.
I couldn’t be more proud of her.
We all were behind her.
We all supported her.
She’s, I mean she won homecoming queen two weeks ago so.
I am so proud of her.
I am so glad she is one of my friends.
My closest friends.
I am so proud of her.
I used to play football on my junior year.
I was like Julia go out there and do the best you can.
I am going to support you a hundred percent.
Girls if you guys really love football
just go out there and don’t be scared.
And show them not only boys can play a dominate sport
but girls can too.
My parents have always been really supportive.
They have never missed a game yet.
After we scored touchdown
I'd be standing in the sidelines next to Coach Miller.
And then he'll send me in.
My advice to a young girl who plays football
is don’t be scared of what people are gonna say.
Or what people are going to think.
You can be great at anything.
I feel like a lot of women just need to be empowered.
And it’s not just men who
rule the world.