The long-standing barrier preventing girls from playing football has clearly become a thing of the past, but some game-changing milestones continue to be set to this day. In Texas, K-Lani Nava cleared one more hurdle for girls everywhere who want to play football by becoming the first female football player to score in a Texas high school state championship game.
And she did plenty of it.
The senior ended her high school football career in historic fashion by not just scoring the first points by a female in a state championship game, but also by knocking down nine of 10 extra point attempts in Strawn’s 78-42 victory.
“It’s amazing,” Nava said to The Star-Telegram. “It’s the best way to end my career, my senior year, everything… it’s the best feeling ever.”
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL HISTORY!#Strawn kicker K-Lani Nava becomes the first female to play in and score in a high school state championship game in the state of Texas! #UILonFOX pic.twitter.com/KQpNiH5rke
— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) December 20, 2017
“It feels pretty great. I didn’t really think about it too much today because I didn’t it want it too much in my head and freak out,” she added. “I just acted like every other girl played on this field like me.”
Nava recalled her journey in a video profile for the program and reflected how she missed her first kick attempt with the team in the first game and got clobbered. She sure stormed back and remained a key member of Strawn’s championship team.
In a year in which we have seen a female quarterback in Florida throw a 42-yard touchdown on her first pass attempt and another woman become the first female to receive a scholarship to play college football, Nava has left her mark on the football world and now has a state championship to remember it for years to come. That’s awesome.
What is also awesome is Strawn’s football uniforms, complete with the Superman logo on the helmet. The uniform gives off a bit of a Death of Superman vibe, but those are some pretty solid helmets.
