While The FA recently voted to extend mixed football to the U-16 age-group, we heard from Todd Pettijohn about his granddaughter’s experience of playing on a boys’ team in America.
My 13 year-old granddaughter, Autumn Morris, currently plays on a 01 boys’ Classic League team [Wizards FC] in Dallas (the highest level of boys’ soccer). They are currently ranked seventh in the US, recently won State Cup and play in the Regionals later this month.
Autumn had to tryout to make the team and the competition in practices and games is fierce (they train and scrimmage against the older 00 and 99 boys’ teams as well).
The initial thought was for her to only train with the team, but the coach ended up asking for her to be on the team! She is the only girl playing on a boys’ side at this age and at this level in Dallas (and possibly North Texas).
This all came about from a conversation her stepfather had with [former USA Head Coach] Anson Dorrance a few years ago, when they attended a UNC game in Texas. They asked him what it would take for her to get to the level of the girls on his team. He told them to have her play against boys for as long as possible. At the time she was playing for a girls’ club team. After that, they began supplementing her training with training and playing with a boys’ team. Last year they decided to have her play and train with only boys.
She has already noticed a huge difference in her speed of play, decision making and skill playing against girls (on occasion) from putting herself through this challenge. This fall she will be a Freshman in High School and will try out for the Varsity soccer team.
She also wants to try out for the boys team, even though the challenge will be even greater (we have already noticed how much bigger and faster the boys have gotten through this season).
Should be an interesting year to say the least!
Pictured – A youtful Autumn headshot and in match action, plus in the Wizards FC 01 squad (far right).
SHE KICKS – the online community for women’s football
