HELENA — According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, Helena High School's Mollee Boyle is tackling sports gender norms as one of around 4,000 women playing high school football in the country.
Boyle says, “I was very much the person in the student section, whenever a kicker missed, I would be like, 'I could do that!' and so now get to.”
Being a kicker made sense after 13 years of soccer.
Despite being the only woman on the team her football family is grateful she joined and have learned a lot from her.
Head football coach Dane Broadhead says, “I think it is just persistence, you know, and it has been really cool just seeing her being one of the guys out there. She’s jumped in and has not shied away from anything.”
When she’s not kicking or helping the team managers, she acts as the team "sister."
“It is definitely a brotherhood type of thing but I am happy to act as the sister,” Boyle says.
Boyle is a senior and although she is having many high school lasts, she is also having some firsts.
It is her first season playing football and she debuted her kicking skills against Hellgate.
Boyle says making her first goal was “the biggest adrenaline rush I have ever had in my life. It’s so much fun. I remember going into that first game and I made it, and it was so exciting. I know all the boys on my team were excited too.”
Coach Broadhead believes a big part of teamwork is acceptance.
“It does not matter what walk of life you come from, you know you are going to have a role and a place in our program,” he says.
At first, Boyle was nervous what others may think of her joining a male-dominated sport but it has taught her a lesson that she will take with her to college next fall.
She says, “Just do it, I mean you only get to do something once, so why not?”
