Across the nation, football is categorized as a man’s sport. With gruesome tackles, exhausting runs, and plenty of physical contact, many believe that the fragility of a woman’s body wasn’t built for football. Some argue that the physical contact in football would be inappropriate if played between opposite genders. Many agree that football seems unfit for co-educational teams and ideal for male players only.

In its short tenure, CRHS football has had an all-male roster. This year, female freshman Jamie Breton joined the team.

“I’ve wanted to [play football] for a couple years,” Breton explained. “This was my one chance to, so I took it. I started playing.”

Breton, who grew up in a house full of men, grew accustomed to the atmosphere of the team quickly.

“It was a bit [awkward] at first. In the beginning, they just kind of gave me weird looks. I think they were thinking, ‘Oh, she’s not going to be around for too long.’ …I’ve been knocked down a couple of times. I just get up and keep going.”

Breton said she is determined to put in the hard work required to keep up with the rest of the team. After months of practice and games together, Breton feels as though she is just any other player.

The male players of the team accept Breton as their teammate. Sophomore player Ricky Sorenson said, “The only time it is different is when she goes into a different locker room at the end of practice. People adapted to the change quickly. Now, she’s just part of the team.”

Many CRHS students support Breton’s football career.

“I think it’s awesome that there’s a girl playing football. It shows that girls can do anything boys can do,” said sophomore Lauren Donnelly.

“I think it’s amazing,” said sophomore Emily Stanwood. “It shows that you can honestly do anything if you put your mind to it. I know some people are probably skeptical about having the girl on the team, but in my opinion, it’s inspirational to have someone as confident and amazing as she is in our school.”

Although the majority of students interviewed expressed encouragement for Breton, some students were hesitant about the idea of a female on the CRHS football team.

“It would be nice to see women play football competitively, except I don’t think it’s right for her to play against males who, most of the time, are a lot stronger and quicker,” one student said.

It seems that those students who disagreed with a female playing on the football team were opposed not because they believe women are incapable of playing football but rather because they view the co-educational team as a danger to women. The debate is no longer whether women should play football but whether men and women should play football on the same team.

Online research proves that football is still viewed by some as a sport that should not be played by women, co-educationally or otherwise. Some boys feel women playing football would be an “invasion” of their space. Commenters argued that if some boys joined a female volleyball team at their high school, their actions would not be seen as “breaking boundaries” but as overly feminine.

Despite controversy surrounding the idea of women playing football, the purpose of sports is to allow people to unite with the playing of a game.