CROSSOVER: Think a girl making a guy’s team for sports never actually happens? Think again! Morgan Pearson (11) is Poly’s JV football place-kicker.
by Chase Ballard, Sports Writer
Morgan Pearson is a very dedicated young woman who strives for greatness in multiple facets of her life. In addition to playing football—a very time consuming and physically demanding sport—she also plays varsity girls’ soccer and recreational soccer in the “off season”. She developed a love for kicking nearly anything while playing soccer, and she figured that her talent and passion should be put towards a more structured position.
When asked what her initial reasoning for joining football was, Pearson proclaimed, “I’ve always enjoyed kicking, so I figured why not play a sport where I could do that as an actual position! Also, I like being different, and I thought it would be a fun experience.”
The transition into a fundamentally different culture can be difficult, with many weird and bizarre circumstances—in this case, the locker room. Instead of using the traditional changing room with the rest of the guys, Pearson changes in the volleyball team room, which is one of the accommodations the coaches needed to make in order to have a girl on the team.
In addition, one would expect some flack from other people, such as rumors, et cetera. However, regarding her experience on the football team so far, Pearson stated, “Actually, it’s been better than I thought it would be. I thought I might get some animosity from people, but the guys [on the team] are really supportive and nice to me.”
In addition to having loads of support from the other players on the team, the coaches also seem to be very enthusiastic about having Morgan on the team. Coach Neil Schlesener stated, “[Pearson] has become an integral part of our team. The love and respect of her teammates is a testament to her character, and we feel honored to have her.”
The process of football practice through the year will change depending on whether it is pre-season, season, or off-season. During the summer, one of the dreaded challenges all football players must face is “Hell Week”. During this time period, practices go from “one-a-days” to “two-a-days” and possibly even “three-a-days”! Basically, instead of one practice every weekday of the summer, practice doubles or triples during Hell Week. Pearson pulled through on her first Hell Week this last summer, and made the commitment to attend every practice.
Just because Pearson is a girl does not mean she gets any sort of “slack” at practice. She declares, “I did all the up-downs with them and all the running with them. I mean, sure it was hard, but I made it through!”
Developing strength and endurance is not the only objective of football or sports in general. The true value of sports is in the building of character and gaining of new experience. Schlesener stated that, for all parties involved, “It has been a phenomenal experience for all of us.”
Watching game film, having football pads as a uniform and working out in a group with at least thirty guys in a weight room gives Pearson an opportunity that nearly all girls will never have—the opportunity to participate in the great American pastime known as football.