At first glance, number 24 looks like a normal teenage boy football player with uniform, shoulder pads, helmet, and pink cleats on. Pink cleats?

Upon looking closer, number 24 does look a little different — what with a the pink cleats, a pink mouth piece, and a pony tail of brown, shiny hair sticking out the back.

Then the helmet comes off, and you realize, #24 isn’t just a girly-girl, it is a girl.

A girl any father would be proud of. She can kick a field goal from 45 yards out, which is further than the only female professional football kicker, Mia Hamm, can do, and even tackle and take a block that would knock down a 200 pound linebacker.

That explains why Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, Lieutenant Ralph Stuart is proud.

#24 is his 15 year old daughter, Kacy. In town for the Doug Blevins individualized/team kicking camp at Americus Sumter High School - East, Kacy, who’s parents are Stuart and his wife, Heather, of Buena Vista, and Angie Stuart, sits down on the bleachers, squinting in the sunlight.

“I have only been kicking for about a year now, and played for my old high school during the summer try outs before I was ruled ineligible.”

Stuart’s father, Ralph, added, “It was in her 8th grade year, and the PE coach saw her playing kickball with the boys, and asked her to try out for the team.”

“That’s where all the drama began,” said Lieutenant Stuart.

He explained, “She went through summer camp, and the first week of the season, the team had a BYE, and the executive director of the Georgia Football League found out that she was a female and ruled her ineligible.”

“There was an arbitration, and the was made up of a panel of coaches, and they voted 3 to 1 in her favor, and then, the Executive Director overruled their decision, and it wasn’t until the seventh week of the season did he change his ruling.”

“She got to play two regular season games, and one was forfeited because the other team didn’t want to play a girl, and the other, they won 42-6 and she kicked the winning field goal.”

“I just want to forget all of that, and play,” said Kacy Stuart.

Her father said, “I am real proud of her, and the way that she competes athletically in a sport she loves.”

Though he didn’t play football, but did play basketball and baseball, Kacy’s father taught in his daughter the love of the game.