In 1869, a match took place between college teams, Princeton and Rutgers, in what would be deemed as the first American football game. Then in 1880, a young Yale student by the name of Walter Camp came along and started laying the foundation for the football we know and love today. Over the decades, tackle football has continued to evolve and make a name for itself. One noticeable change happening though is the increase of female football players on the Little League, Jr High, and Sr High levels. Traditionally a male sport, female participation across the country continues to be on the rise with a little over 2,400 girls playing tackle football in 2018 according to the NFHSA.

But the concept of girls playing football on an all-boys team is nothing new. Especially in small towns spread across Western Arkansas. And in seven of those towns alone, there are 12 girls from Grades 2nd-9th who compete in tackle football. Brooklyn Landrum is an 8th Grader who plays on both Offensive and Defensive Lines for the Mena Bearcats Jr High team. Playing football for a year now, the idea came to Brooklyn when she was at home with her brother. “It started with me and my younger brother playing catch in the yard. I wanted to be better able to help him practice. I love everything there is to love about football and it’s a bonus that I get to have this opportunity to play for my school!” But what is it like being the only female on a football team? “For me, it was weird at first. I felt out of place and I really had no idea what I was doing. I felt really uncomfortable with the boys and them with me. But once I started getting used to things and the boys realized that I was staying and not going anywhere, they started treating me like part of the team which is what I wanted from the beginning. Now it’s all about getting on the field, hitting people, and having fun. I’m where I’m supposed to be.”

Just up the road, 40 minutes north of Mena, is a town called Waldron. Waldron is home to the 4A Bulldogs football team. A team that 6th Grader, Cheyenne Fain, can’t wait to be a part of. Right now Cheyenne is in her first year of football, playing Nose Guard and on the Offensive Line for the PeeWee Bulldogs. “My brothers were the ones who started my love of the game. My favorite thing about football is the competitiveness of it and being rough like the boys. It’s all about having the determination and loving what you do. Football is my passion!”

The next stop on the “Girl Gridders” small-town football tour, is at Mansfield, Arkansas. Mansfield is a town with a population of a little over 1,100. Home to the Tigers and Lady Tigers, sports plays a big part in this town’s youth. But for three young ladies, it’s all about laying down the Boom! on the football field. Raine Hecox is a freshman Corner on her Jr High team and is in her third year of football. “My dad and younger brother are the ones who started my passion for football. From the moment I was born, my dad had a football in my hands teaching me the ins and outs of the game. Then as my brother and I got older, he started playing football and I became a cheerleader so that I could be as close to the game as possible. The 6th Grade was when I made the decision to play football and I’m glad I did. The bond I have with my teammates and my coaches is unlike any other. We are like a family. They help me and support me when I need it. I love the adrenalin rush you get from being on the field as well as the competition. Joining was awkward at first but once everyone loosened up, I just became one of the guys!”

On the Mansfield Little League level, two 5th Grade Lady Tigers prove to be double trouble when they step on to the football field together. Tight End and Defensive End, Alivia Wilson, got into playing football three years ago because of her dad’s encouragement. “I would have to say the thing I love most about playing football is getting to tackle people! It also feels awesome being one of the few girls playing football. It proves that girls can be just as tough as the boys.” Close friend and teammate, Rylan Jones, plays in the Running Back and Defensive End positions. “This is my first year to play. My stepdad Devon and my friend Alivia were the two people who got me interested in the game and I’ve loved it ever since. Running the ball is definitely my favorite thing to do. It also makes me proud to be one of two girls on the football team!”

Just a hop, skip, and a jump northwest of Mansfield, lies the sleepy little town of Hackett. But where the town lacks in population, they more than make up for in school spirit. Home to the Hornets and Lady Hornets, three little league girls couldn’t wait to represent their town on the football field. Sixth-Grader, Kyah Cheatham, is in her first season of football and plays on the line. But Kyah isn’t a stranger to the field. Before taking the leap of playing football, she was a cheerleader for the Hornets. “I became a cheerleader because I love everything about this sport. But I was done watching from the sidelines and wanted to play. I just love being on the field and being able to play with my friends. Playing in a mostly male sport can be challenging because some people don’t think I should be able to play because I’m a girl. But I love being able to show everyone girls can do whatever boys can do!”

Fifth-Grader, Millie Elms, also plays on the 5th and 6th Grade little league team. “I have always loved football since I was younger but I’ve only played for a team in the last 2 seasons.” On the field, Millie plays Safety and Offensive Line. “I remember watching my mom and cousins play football all the time when I was little. It was also always on tv. With that combined, I just started loving it. My favorite thing about football is blocking and tackling. When it comes to the fact of being one of only a few girls playing football, I don’t really think about it. I just love playing the game, whether it’s on a team or in the back yard.”

And on Hackett’s 3rd and 4th Grade team is Miss Bailey Wallace. Bailey is in the 4th grade and is in her first year of football playing Defensive Back for the Hornets. “Not knowing I could take my passion for football on the field, I watched a Nickelodeon show called Bella and the Bulldogs about a cheerleader turned football player, and that’s how it started. Although it’s weird at times being the only girl on the football team, that all changes as soon as the game starts and I get to start tackling!”

Moving on, we head to a tight-knit community nestled just on the other side of Van Buren in Crawford County called Cedarville. And in that community is a little girl with big dreams of continuing to play Pirate football. Zoey Corey is your average 2nd Grader during the week but on the weekend, that all changes. Playing on the O-line for the Little League Pirates, Zoey spends her Saturdays pushing around boys twice her size. “I’ve been playing with my brother since we were little, but playing on the team for one season. When it came to being a football player, I was always playing tackle with my brother and cousins so my mommy encouraged me to do whatever I wanted. I love being able to hit the field and play with my friends. What drives me to play is when all the boys ask me what I’m doing there and tell me football is for boys, not girls. So that just makes me want to tackle them more and show them what it’s like to get hit by a girl!”

From Cedarville, a slight detour will be taken before continuing north. Where will this detour take you, you ask? We find ourselves at a blink and you will miss is school district called JC Westside in the sparsely populated town of Hartman, Ar. But everybody knows that big things come in tiny packages and when it comes to this female football player, 6th-grader Angel Robinson has no problem laying down the law on every field she steps on. Angel plays Tight End, Left Tackle, and Safety for the Rebels. “I have been playing football for 2 years with plans on continuing my career into 7th grade at the high school next year. I play every sport but I don’t like Cheer and I got tired of missing out on entire sports seasons. My love of competition is what made me want to get out there and play instead of watching from the sidelines. My favorite thing about football is everything! I love the practices and my team and coaches. They help make me play to the best of my ability. I love getting to hit people and show them how it feels to be tackled by a girl. Being the only girl on my team is not really that much different for me. I have been with my teammates for most of my life. They were excited when I started playing because I am bigger than most of them and they know not to mess with me. I know being the biggest on my team won’t last forever, but I still plan to play for as long as I can!”

An hour north of Cedarville on Highway I-49 tucked away in the Ozark Mountains, is the home of the West Fork Tigers. And tucked away in West Fork are two young ladies whose love for football is what drives them every day to go big or go home. Miranda Denton is in the 6th Grade and plays on both the Offensive and Defensive Lines. “This is my third year of tackle football and before that, I played 3 years of flag football so I’ve been playing for a total of 6 years. And in my first 2 years of tackle, I was the only girl on the team. What started my interest in this sport was when I was in the 1st Grade and my brother started playing. I would watch him practice and decided that was what I wanted to do so I joined the team and have been playing ever since. My favorite thing about football is tackling because that’s when I get to take out all of my anger. Being a girl in a mostly male sport is pretty cool especially when people think you’re a guy and then you take off your helmet and they realize they just got beat by a girl!”

Sitting in her first season of tackle football, is 5th-Grade Receiver, Abbie Landers. When asked who or what it was that started her love of football, Abbie responded, “It was my mom who loves to watch the Cowboys and the Razorbacks. I like that with football, not only do you get a lot of exercise, but it’s a ton of fun as well. Plus I really like to win. Playing in a mostly male sport is tough at times and different. The boys usually think I am not good at it, but I am as good as them if not better!”

The final stop of the “Girl Gridders” small-town football tour, takes us right around the corner from West Fork in the ever-expanding town of Greenland. Greenland is the stomping grounds of Pirate football and among their loaded sea of talented players, is a tough as nails but sweet as honey 8th Grader named Layla Daniel Jones. “I have been playing football since I was in kindergarten which has been almost 9 years now. I play Corner and Slot-Receiver but in the past, I have played Running Back, Safety, and Outside Receiver. The first sport I ever played was soccer and my brother Seth Daniel was my coach. I played it for a little bit but it just wasn’t competitive enough for me, so my mom and I decided to put me in football. I was always tomboyish anyways so my mom and I thought it would be a good idea! I’d definitely have to say my favorite thing about football is the fact that it’s a contact sport. I love hitting people in the mouth every play, although it definitely doesn’t feel good when I get trucked. I also love that I will always have my team and my coaches behind me! They will always have my back. The fact of being the only girl on the team and most overall on a lot of teams, just makes me want to push harder and work harder! A lot of the boys will always doubt me whether they’re on my team or another. So I just go out there and prove them wrong!”

West Fork photo cred goes to Susan Boyd