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Written by Maya Mankude
“You’re not strong enough to play football.” A message 18-year-old Samantha Gordon was always told. Samantha is a female tackle football player from Salt Lake City. In 2012, when she was only 9 years old, Samantha was playing against all-male teams, many of whom were twice her size. In 2015, she founded the first known all-girls tackle football league in America, the Utah Girls Tackle Football League. In 2019, the league had 446 girls and 35% of them were minorities.
Samantha continues to inspire young girls who love football just as much as she does. She was constantly bullied as a child by people claiming that she couldn’t play football. But, Samantha decided to leave all these bullies behind, and she is consistently able to achieve her goals and be a role model to others. She opened doors for all girls who are passionate about tackle football to fight for their dreams, even when someone tells them that they can’t. Samantha faced many closed doors from coaches who claimed she was crazy to even think of playing tackle football, “a sport only meant for men,” as many of these coaches claimed. Even though Samantha was put down by everyone around her, she never forgot her goal and continued to break the stereotypes she faced while growing up.
Ever since she was a young child, Samantha dreamt of playing out on the open field while her family and friends watch her. She knew that female football players were just as capable and strong as men’s football teams. She advocated for women’s rights on the field and she fought to play on the field. As a prime example of a growing feminist, Samantha Gordon has many more years to come in her life where she will continue to fight hard for equal rights in sports.
About the writer: I am a 9th grader at Dougherty Valley High School. I learn two types of Indian Classical dance styles, Bharatanatyam and Kathak. I have performed at various solo and group dance events in the Bay Area. Some of my favorite hobbies include playing piano, art, and clarinet. I also enjoy photography and graphic design.
Instagram: @maya_mankude