"This is great and incredible": the girl made her debut in the elite student division of American football

An historic event has occurred in American football.

Sarah Fuller became the first woman to compete in a men's team match at one of the five elite student league conferences.

In the meeting between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Missouri Tigers, she played the kicker.

Fuller entered the field before the start of the second half of the meeting and made a starting kick.

Despite the defeat of Commodores with a score of 0:41, the athlete was pleased with her debut and the importance it had for women's sports in general.

She expressed the hope that her example will inspire many young girls to try their hand at both American football and sports in general.

“All I want is to become a good example for young girls, because I myself have experienced difficulties in sports.

But I am glad that I persevered, thanks to which I got a lot of opportunities, and through sports I met a lot of wonderful people.

I just want to say that a person can achieve whatever he strives for, ”Fuller quotes ESPN.

Making history.

#PlayLikeAGirl |

# AnchorDownpic.twitter.com / 57ffStmje9

- Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) November 28, 2020

The athlete also admitted that she felt calm, although she was aware of the significance of what was happening.

Sarah went to the match with the slogan "Play Like a Girl" pasted on the hem of her helmet.

An accident helped Sarah get into the Commodores application.

She was the goalkeeper for the Vanderbilt University women's classic football team and just a week ago became the SEC champion.

At the same time, the athlete got the opportunity to become the main goalkeeper of the team only this season, although she was listed in the composition for four years.

Thanks to her successful performance, she was noticed in the Vanderbilt coaching staff.

The fact is that due to the coronavirus, several kickers were forced to quarantine at once, and the team urgently had to look for a way out of the situation.

Interestingly, after the end of the season in the SEC, studying medicine at Vanderbilt University, Fuller was seriously planning to end her sports career.

However, her plans changed after a call from the assistant head coach of the women's football team Ken Masura, who offered to try her hand at a new discipline.

Just a few days before the match, it became known that the footballer had started training at the Commodores.

However, then head coach Derek Mason did not specify whether he really counts on the girl, although he noted her perseverance and physical data.

And then Fuller announced that she was on the application for the match.

Commenting on her success, she noted that she tried not to think about the fact that she was going to go down in the history of sports.

“I think it’s great and incredible.

But at the same time, I try to separate one from the other.

I understand that this is a job and that I need to do it.

I want to help my team and do everything in my power.

Leaving the historical aspect aside helps me focus on what needs to be done.

I in no way want to let them down (partners and coaching staff -

).

They did me the honor of asking for my help, ”Fuller quoted Yahoo Sports.

The event could not go unnoticed.

On social media, fans, journalists and other athletes, including one of the most famous quarterbacks of the National Football League (NFL) Russell Wilson, 2018 World Series baseball champion with the Boston Red Sox David Price and many others congratulated Sarah on her success. and noted the significance of her debut with the Power Five.

Fuller's performance impressed Mason as well.

He was pleased with her contribution to the team's game and admitted that he would like to continue working with her.

The specialist also thanked the footballer and her traditional football coach Darren Ambrose. 

“This blow was calculated, designed just for her, because that's how she used to punch.

We aimed to give her the most familiar blows in her arsenal.

We tried not to overdo it with coaching instructions, but to let her figure out what she was most comfortable doing.

So we did it.

I believe that she hit exactly where she should have, ”- quoted Mason USA Today.

Sarah herself stated that she would like to continue training with the American football team and someday get the opportunity to complete a field goal - a shot on goal that allows you to earn points.

Fuller isn't the only woman to land on the men's American football team.

In 1997, Liz Heaston earned points in the National University Sports Association (NAIA) match, where she defended the colors of Willamette University.

In 2001, in the NCAA Division I game, a similar achievement was achieved by Ashley Martin, who played for the Jacksonville University team.

At the same time, in the NFL, no woman has yet managed to break into the men's team. In 2019, two-time world champion and captain of the US national football team Carly Lloyd had such a chance. Then, during a training match between Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles, she performed an impressive shot from 50 meters to goal, which provoked rumors that she could soon join the men's team. However, the athlete herself stated that she intends to focus on traditional football, although she does not mind trying her hand at something new.