Becky Holland
The Americus Times-Recorder
AMERICUS
December 31, 2008 04:05 pm
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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.
“He loves it, and it was something we could do together watch games,” said the Georgia Bulldog fan.
On her decision to play, Kacy said, “I like sports, I will be going to Spaulding High School when school starts back, so it will be in the middle of the year, and I plan on trying out for the soccer team, and hopefully when football season starts, will be able to kick for the football team.”
The Sophomore said, “Most of the guys, at first, weren’t really cool with me playing, but over all, they got to liking the fact.”
One of her teammates in particular liked having her on the team. “I have boyfriend and he was our fullback. I really wasn’t on the field at the same that he was, but we would stand together on the sidelines and during practice. We were teammates.”
Kacy Stuart smiles, “I play up the fact that I am a girl with wearing my pink cleats and mouth piece.”
“I just like playing sports. I have been hit and have hit, but most of that is like been in practice,” she said.
“When you step on the field, to play a sport, I don’t think gender should be a factor. The factor should be how good you are.”
Stuart enjoys writing fictional stories, and she said, “I may hang out with the guys a lot ,but I am a girlie girl. I love to dress up and go to the movies.”
She calls Herschel Walker an influence on the field. “We were watching a tape of an old Sugar Bowl game when he played with the Georgia Bulldogs, and he was just awesome.”
In fact, Kacy hopes to attend UGA when she finishes high school. “I wouldn’t mind playing football and soccer for them, and I want to become a physical therapist, and travel around the world with sports teams.”
Lieutenant Stuart smiles, as he watches his daughter in action. Though not spoken orally, one knows just how proud he is of his daughter.
And who could blame him?
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