You might be wondering how I became a women's football player. Well, I have pretty much been an athlete my whole life. Ever since I got introduced to tee-ball at age 6 I have been playing some sort of sport. You name it, I have probably played it. I just love anything having to do with sports. I love the competition. I love the relationships you build with your teammates. I love pushing myself physically. And I love the psychology and mental challenges of outsmarting your opponent.
I grew up playing softball, basketball, volleyball, swimming, golf, and even soccer for a couple of years. My summers were spent at sports camps. My identity was an athlete who happened to be driven academically too. My family was always supportive. My parents put a lot of time, effort, and money, to make sure I had many opporunities to pursue my love of sports. I was lucky in that regard after meeting others that had it more difficult.
In high school, I played volleyball, basketball, softball, and golf. I feel like I did ok. I was an all-around athlete. I ran against some politics that I felt hindered my potential. I also now feel like in modern day sports there is much pressure on kids to specialize in one particular sport. The fact that I played everything meant I wasn't playing one all year long like others. However, I am proud of the fact that I played everything. I'll probably devot more time to this subject later.
I also grew up an avid sports fan. I remember being 7 years old and crying when my beloved Portland Trail Blazers would lose to my mom's Utah Jazz. Additionally, my family has had season tickets to the University of Oregon Duck football games since I was probably 10 or 11. I grew up a passionate, knowledgable, and rabbid fan of football. My grandmother lived in San Francisco and through visiting her I grew up a 49ers fan. Jerry Rice was my hero. I loved everything he represented. Hard work, athletic ability, passion, and just flat out wanting it more than anyone else.
Fast foward to 2006. I had been attending the University of Oregon. When I got to college in 2002, I decided not to try to walk on in anything and just focus on school. I was like free-time? What do I do with this? I really think I didn't find myself until college because in high school I had no time to do so. It was nice to just focus on school, have fun, and trying to find out who I am.
I had played intermural sports and played club ultimate frisbee for a bit. I also worked out at the rec center and spent much time playing pick-up basketball with the boys and some football players. However, slow pitch softball and pick-up basketball games were just not doing it for me anymore.
I had a friend, who interestly enough was a stripper that I occassionally babysat for. She paid me in 1's. Lot's of 1's. I felt rich with a huge stack of money but then I realized how much it actually was. Oh well. Her father was pretty darn cool after learning I love football he informed me that there was a woman's tackle football team in Eugene, which is the city my school was in.
I thought I would check it out so we went to a game. I watched these women and I thought. Omygod! I could do this!
Stay tuned for part 2 of this blog.
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