Recently, there has been a big surge of females in football.
Last month, Sarah Fuller, a University of Vanderbilt women’s soccer player, was the first woman to play in a Power 5 football game. But did you know that female football players are also right here in our own backyard?
At Red Mountain High School, Shekaina Rigrish is paving the way for females in football at the high school level.
Shekaina, 15 years old, has been named a kicker for the Junior Varsity football team. She says that her biggest supporter is her dad and that, “he helps me push through it.”
Shekaina’s dad was actually the one to sign her up for football tryouts without her knowing — it was a complete surprise to her. Now on the team, Shekaina said, “The guys are so nice; it was weird at first, but I’m used to it now.”
As for her fellow kicker, Shane Rodgers said, “Not much has changed, it’s just something new and she is just part of the team.”
Shekaina is also involved in multiple other activities, including karate, volleyball, soccer, track, Student Council, FCA, hiking club, Red Sea, Mountain Movers, and youth group. In spite of her involvement in many activities as well as school, she has been able to achieve a 3.8 GPA.
Shekaina says that if anyone has even the slightest interest to just “go out and try.”
Alexandra Paddy is a volunteer writer who is studying journalism at Red Mountain High School.