by Harley Perritt
This football season is unusual.
Sophomore corner Sarah Felkner and freshman kicker Rebecca Childress met the criteria and withstood the practices to join the JV football team.
Stu Brown, head coach and health and physical education teacher, said girls who meet the expectations and put forth the same effort as the boys should be able to play on the team.
“I don’t look at you as a female. I look at you as a teammate,” Coach Brown said.
Coach Brown, who has 19 years experience as a football coach including 13 years at Varina, cannot recall previous instances of girls playing football.
“They are the first two I kept on the team. They earned it,” Coach Brown said.
Sarah’s dad Michael Felkner introduced her to football when she was a child, and she has been playing as long as she can recall.
“My mom, who passed away in June, never wanted me to play football. She always made me quit the team because she didn’t want me to get hurt since it was a guy sport, not a girls sport. But I know if she were here, she would be on the sidelines cheering for me,” Sarah said.
Rebecca, who Coach Brown called a “talented kicker,” wanted to play football in middle school, but it conflicted with soccer.
Senior Austin Powell is the long snapper on the varsity football team. He said he helps Rebecca on her techniques and form during practice.
“I think it’s something that Varina is going to be remembered for besides having a great football team,” Austin said.
Sophomore linebackers Nadriq Crooks and Kortnee Warren said the girls are a good addition to the team.
“When they come into the game, it makes us play harder because we don’t want them to get hurt,” Nadriq said.
Stanley Cuffee, coach and school security officer, is coaching girls for the first time in his nine years of coaching. He said the girls are a challenge to his coaching techniques.
“It keeps us on our toes,” Coach Cuffee said.
Junior Tara Tate is the manager of the team. She said the girls are dedicated and athletic.
“The girls that are playing right now are role models for other girls in the school, and they motivate girls who want to play,” Tara said.
“They all call me Wonder Woman,” Sarah said.
Coach Brown said at the end of the day, his team comes together with the girls to correct, motivate and help each other.
“They got heart to be out there on the field,” Kortnee said.
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