Mansfield Timberview girl tackles new ground on her school’s football team
While growing up in New Jersey, Morgan Senior’s sport of choice was lacrosse. But when her family moved to Texas, she did something that might surprise some of her old friends.
Morgan Senior joined the school’s football team.
Senior began playing in the eighth grade and is now in her third season with the junior varsity team at Mansfield Timberview. She’s played longer than any girl who has ever tried out for the Wolves.
“We’ve had a couple girls on the team and none of them has gone as far as Morgan has,” said Timberview head coach James Brown. “She’s been tough enough to get through this process. She’s done a great job for us and has really stepped up.”
Girls suiting up to play high school football isn’t new, though it is still considered rare. Even here in North Texas. But what makes Senior rare is the position that she plays.
Senior is an offensive guard. When she started football, she would also play on the defensive line.
“I gave it a try and learned to love it,” she said. “I was really nervous at first, but then I got used to it. I didn’t really know anyone so it was kind of weird, but they were very welcoming. The coaches were so helpful when I started. They teach me different things and are always there for me.”
It’s no longer completely unheard of to see a girl playing football anymore, though it still qualifies as rare.
There are at least three playing this year at a Fort Worth-area school: Senior, Chelsea Calderon (Fort Worth Paschal) and Alana Meggison (Colleyville Covenant).
Calderon and Meggison are kickers, which historically has been a popular position for girls.
Last year, it was Tori Soland at Pantego Christian. Two years ago, it was Madi Martin at Southlake Carroll. Reilly Fox played at Paschal in 2015. All were kickers. All are soccer players.
But playing a position that requires getting in the trenches is different.
“I treat her like the rest of the guys,” Timberview offensive line coach Guy Humes said. “We make sure she’s not put in any uncomfortable position or disadvantage. She gets in there and does her best and gives everything she’s got. She got hurt in a game once and the whole team responded and came to her rescue like she was their little sister.”
Added Senior, “I have to work 10 times harder since I am the smallest one. Then you go into the game and face someone different that you don’t know. I have to be mentally ready as well.”
The lure of football
Calderon is a sophomore on Paschal’s JV team. She went to the same middle school as Fox.
“I like to watch football, but I didn’t know girls could play. So I tried out,” Calderon said. “The first day of conditioning, I almost threw up. But it got better. The coaches were really supportive. Players were nice.”
It’s the first year Calderon is playing football. Paschal head coach John Killough is in his first year with the program.
“She said she wanted to kick and I thought it was awesome,” Killough said. “She comes out everyday. She’s been doing a good job. She accepts her duties, goes out there and gets it done.”
Killough said Calderon will be kicking extra points for the JV team this season.
“She has a decent leg. She’s getting better and more consistent kicking extra points and field goals,” he said.
Added Calderon, “I was really bad at first, then I started going to private lessons. I’ve gotten a lot better kicking in a month and a half compared to the first week. It’s a big difference.”
Calderon plans to finish out her high school career on the football team.
Meanwhile, Meggison is a junior at Covenant and the backup kicker on the varsity team. She is friends with the starter, Jonah Towe, whose father is head coach Phil Towe.
“She came up to me one day and asked if she could start kicking with Jonah and I said, ‘Sure.’ She’s turned out to be a good kicker,” Towe said. “Pretty accurate, just needs to work on some power. She’s become a great asset for our team, great spirit and a great teammate.
“We’ll need her next year when Jonah is gone. We don’t have anymore kickers coming up.”
Getting on the team this season started as a joke for Meggison.
She plays on the varsity soccer team at her school just like Calderon.
“It started as a joke with my friends, but then I got to thinking it would actually be pretty cool to try out. I did and really liked it,” Meggison said. “I started kicking and wasn’t half bad.
“I was nervous and felt out of place since I was the only girl. Almost like a joke because girls don’t really play football. But everyone was supportive and very sweet about it.”
All three girls felt the same way when they first started to play football, but once they believed in themselves and got the support from others, it made it easier.
They hope other girls try out for football.
“Girls would tease me, but I wanted to try out and I was actually good at it,” Senior said. “It’s great to be an inspiration to females. Not everyone can play, but you have to believe in yourself. I didn’t at first, but I made it this far so you have to try.”
