A former cheerleader who began playing football during her senior year of high school is hoping to tackle football at the college level – and not as a kicker.
Following three years of cheering at Indian Creek High School in Indiana, Hope Nelson traded in her uniform for shoulder pads and played in both varsity and junior varsity games.
Now attending Franklin College, Nelson is a student coach on the Franklin football team but is hoping to suit up next year and become the school’s first female football player in the school’s 184-year existence.
Capable of squatting nearly 250 pounds, Nelson is hoping to play the same position she did in high school: defensive back.
“When I tell people, it’s always ‘Wow.’ And they’ll ask, ‘What position do you play? Kicker?’” Nelson told The IndyStar. “But that’s not the case. I’m out on the field making tackles. And I want to do that here. I know I can do it.”
Nelson, who is blind in her right eye thanks to a childhood accident, will be suiting up with the team when practices in advance of next season start up this spring.
In addition to fulfilling her own dream, Nelson is hoping playing for Franklin will open a lot of people’s eyes and serve as an inspiration for young girls who might have a goal that seems unattainable.
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