Within the last year one female in particular has made history in the NFL. Jen Welter was the first female to play a non-kicking position in professional football, according to espn.go.com. Welter has taken things a step further and has become the first female coach the NFL has hired. Similar actions are taking place here at SHS.

Girls who play football in high school are usually kickers, according to espn.go.com. Although, Freshman Ashley Williams goes against those odds. She plays tight end on the freshmen football team.

She says that her motivation of being the only girl on the football team is that she wants football to not only be a men’s sport.

¨I want women to do what guys do,” Williams said. ¨I am tired of it being just a man’s field and it’s time for woman to go get it.¨

Williams also says that all the guys and coaches treat her no differently than they treat each other. Freshman football coach, Mr. Christopher Stevenson says something quite similar. He says that at times he needs to be reminded that there is a girl on the team because she is just as valuable to to their football family as any of the guys are.

¨Ashley is an intricate part of our football family,¨ Stevenson said. ¨But that does not mean she is treated any differently.¨

Stevenson says that Williams is respected and trusted by the guys out on the field. She was even only a few votes away from being a team captain.

¨It’s hard to treat somebody differently when they work just as hard, if not harder, than you do,¨ Stevenson said. ¨If anything, I’d say they look up to her.¨

Williams feels as if they are just one big family and that she is friends with most of them on and off of the field.

¨It’s almost like a family,¨ Williams said. ¨Like a bunch of brothers and one sister.¨