Central (Hayneville, Ala.) sophomore Swanique Gordon earns respect and attention as a tough defender.
Video: Alabama girls is one mean linebacker
Sophomore linebacker from Alabama brings the heat.
We've seen girls kick, catch and occasionally tackle on the football field. Usually after a kickoff.
But rarely have we seen anything or anyone like
Swanique Gordon.
As revealed in this terrific story by
Stacy Long of the Montgomery Advertiser, the
Central (Hayneville, Ala.) sophomore is a starting linebacker for the 1-6 Lions and averages around six tackles per game.
"I thought it would be way harder," Gordon told Long. "That first game, I admit I was scared. … Someone gave me a little love tap and pushed me down, but I thought, ‘That wasn't that hard.' After that, I was fine."
She's been better than fine. Gordon had 10 tackles and a sack in a game against Calhoun.
"She knows a lot about football, has a high football IQ and she cares," Central coach Martez Graham said. "It means something to her."
It means something to a lot of people. Gordon's attitude helps with positive reinforcement.
"You can't tell me ‘no,'" she said. "Take ‘no' and throw it away."
Triffivca Williams has done the same. She's a female student on campus and said of Gordon's gridiron participation and excellence: "It's definitely something different. She might inspire other girls who want to play a sport only boys play."
Williams said she's scared Gordon might get hurt, "but to be honest, she's better than half those boys out there."
Gordon said her mom was against her trying out for the team, but now she cheers louder than all the other parents. Teammate
Diamonta Johnson told the newspaper that opponents rarely react.
"They don't notice. If they do, they're as shocked as we were."
They aren't any more.
Sports fans of the school will see a lot more of Gordon on the basketball court and softball diamond. Those will be more conventional places to watch her compete.
A small turnout for the football team — there are only 21 on the MaxPreps roster — is a big reason why she tried out. Graham doesn't think lack of numbers will be a problem in the future.
"Now all the girls say they want to play," he said.
