A high school cheerleader wanted to step onto the field in a different way… She had no idea the kind of pushback she would face, but she does something that no one expects that changes the game!
Becca Longo
Becca Longo has always been athletic. By the time she was 10, she had tried virtually every sport she could… But, she still wanted more.
Athletic Family
Becca’s entire family was very athletic. She had an older brother who was 11 years older than she was and athletic. He was even the star on the high school football team… She wanted to be just like him.
Family Fun
Everyone was always heavily involved in sports. Becca had a more difficult time getting into a lot of different sports since she was a girl, but that didn’t stop her momentum…
Finding A New Talent…
They realized that Becca had a special, secret talent one afternoon at Lake Pheasant. Bobby threw a football at Becca when she wasn’t looking and hit her in the face…
Got Him Right Back
Becca quickly retaliated and chucked it back at him so fast he couldn’t even think twice! That’s when they knew she had quite the throwing arm…
Competitive By Nature
She quickly climbed the ladder and became star soccer and basketball player at her high school. One day, she realized something that just didn’t feel right… The football team was only guys, and there was no female football team.
She Can Make a Change
She wanted to do something no one else had done. She conquered soccer and basketball… Why not football? So, she went to a football kicking camp, and was the only girl there.
Not Defined By Gender
Naturally, some of the guys felt that she shouldn’t be there… She proved them wrong. Alex Zendejas, a coach of seven successful all-state kickers and four kickers go into the FML. “I was amazed at how much power Bella had,” he recalled.
Opening New Doors
She began practicing kicking three days a week and focused solely on her training. If something wasn’t up to her own standards, she would do it again and again…
Put That Talent to Use
In 2014, Becca went to her high schools athletic directors office and asked to try out to be the team’s kicker. He laughed at her.
That Doesn’t Stop Her
“A lot of people think, ‘Aw. She’s a girl. She can’t do this. She’s not strong enough, she’s not big enough,’†Becca said. “I think it’s just something inside of me. I don’t always have to prove myself — but I always want to.â€
She Was Able To Convince Him
She tried out for the team… And made it. She knew that she could prove everyone wrong, but now she just had to prove it. In her first game, it took only 15 seconds for her to have to kick an extra point…
Terrified
She was extremely nervous. There was a lot of pressure from all ends and she wanted to make sure it was going to go well. The player holding the ball noticed her hesitation and yelled, “Just kick the ball!”
Overcoming Fears
Of course, she nailed it. That season, she made 30 out of 33 extra point attempts and got all four field goals.
She Was Bullied
Unfortunately, her success on the football field didn’t translate to school… You’d think she would be well-liked, but it quite the opposite.
Snide Comments
People called her the girl wearing her boyfriends jersey, and said that she only got on the field because they felt sorry for her… Nothing could change their minds.
That Didn’t Stop Her
She took the comments with a grain of salt. She knew that she earned her spot on the team and that she was going to take them far. She had a strong leg, and no words can change that!
Something Needed To Change
For a while, Becca didn’t let it get to her. She had a thick-skin, she could take it. After a while, things weren’t letting up. She didn’t want to be a social experiment… So she needed something to change.
Time To Move
Becca had a long talk with her parents. They felt that it was best she leave Queen Creek High School and transfer down to Bashda High School. She wanted to get better without the hate…
She Had to Sit Out
Since she transferred in the middle of the year, the school wouldn’t let her try out for the team. She needed to wait, which is how it always goes for transfers. Instead, Becca decided to train and train until she could try out at her senior year.
Earn The Respect
Her coach said that the team had to run sprints every time she missed a kick. She started at the 7-yard line and backed up five yards each kick. She made every single kick, including 42-yards away. She was the kicker, not the girl on the football team.
Well-Respected
In her senior year, she made 92% of her extra point kicks. This was extremely impressive and got a lot of important people’s attention…
Josh Blankenship
Josh Blankenship is the offensive coordinator for the Adams State football team, a division two school in Colorado. He saw Becca’s kicking abilities and knew that he had to talk to her.
Come to Adams State
When he met Becca, he knew that she was exactly what the team needed. He admired her drive and her charisma, as well as her athletic talent. He offered her a chance to try out and she accepted.
It’s That Time
Becca went to Colorado one cold, February morning to try out. Out of the 25 field goals that she attempted, she made 23. To her, that wasn’t good enough…
The Coaches Were Convinced
The coaches, on the other hand, were convinced. They offered her a spot on the team, but did she take it?
Full Scholarship!
“I was just so grateful that somebody believed in me,” Becca said. They offered her a spot on the team with a scholarship.
Controversial
Men in sports were not so welcoming. “She’s going to get drilled by a 300-pound lineman,” a critic said online. “She’s just a publicity stunt,” another said.
Just Watch Me
“If they want to think that, they can think that,” she said. “Then I’m just going to kick a game-winning, 55-yard field goal — see how loud they are then. I’ve been doubted in everything I’ve done. Being mentally strong is the only defensive mechanism I have.”
Training Like Crazy
She got on the team as a redshirt freshman, meaning that she was on the team but not quite on the field yet. She had to train, train, train.
Battling For Her Place
In the 2018 season, she was between Tiago Paim and Montana Gomez as starting kickers. Montana was chosen, which just meant that Becca had to work harder.
She’s Respected
“She gets after it just like all of us,” Adam State’s senior quarterback Jorge Hernandez said. “She’s not just here to be on the team. She’s here to play.”
She Just Wants to Play
She wanted that starting spot so badly, and many of her teammates felt that she was going to get it. in the meantime, she was just happy to be on the team! “I’m playing college football,” she said. “How cool is that?”
Why Not Me?
A woman has never made it to the NFL. Becca wants to know: Why can’t it be her? That’s her next goal…
High School Years
For most teenagers, the last thing that they want is to stand out in High School. For Kaitlyn Berthiaume, she didn’t really have a choice but to stand out…
Just A Normal Student… At First
Kaitlyn was entering her senior year at Messalonskee High School in Oakland, Maine. She was excited to go out with a bang…
Normal, Popular Cheerleader
Kaitlyn was a hard-worker. She was great at school and put a lot of her after-school effort into the cheer team. She had been working hard for this spot on the cheer team. Then, she ran into a problem…
What Cheer Team?
Turns out, she ended up running into a huge problem… She was the only person to sign up for the cheer squad that year. She had no idea what to do… This was more than just a sport for her.
No Giving Up
Cheering during her senior year of school was a goal for her, and she wasn’t about to give it up so easily. She talked to the cheer advisors who said that she could cheer alone if she wanted to…
Time to Train
Coach Dobos and coach Couture were ready for anything. Since Kaitlyn was the only one on the team, it was easy for them to train her. She took things very seriously…
Standing Alone
Turns out, very little was going to stop Kaitlyn. At the first football game of the season, Kaitlyn walked out in front of her school and cheered alone for the first time.
It Was Terrifying
Kaitlyn overcame her fears and cheered on her team. Much to her joy, the crowd was extremely receptive to her cheers…
Word Spread
Kaitlyn’s bravery as admirable, and the town was quickly recognizing that. Not only did they go to the game for the football team, but for Kaitlyn!
Things Were Hard At First
Local news even caught on and highlighted Kaitlyn’s achievement. Her mom was quoted saying that her heart sank for her daughter…
Supportive Family
Her parents couldn’t have been more proud of their daughter. There was so much courage to do something by yourself… They knew that she was going to go far in this life.
Everyone Loved Her
You can achieve a lot when you put your mind to things! Becca and Kaitlyn are living proof.