Football has always been predominantly known as a male sport, but the Highlanders introduced their first-ever female kicker this season.
Sophomore Emma Brandwene, a goalie on the girls varsity soccer team, has taken on the challenge of tackling football as a kicker.
“I never really thought about kicking before, but here I am doing it,” Brandwene said.
She started kicking after a friendly challenge from the football team’s special teams coach, Tom Simcho.
“He challenged me to kick a field goal, and I made it,” she said. “It stuck after that kick.”
Brandwene is kicking consistently for the junior varsity B team, but she also has kicked for the varsity team, taking a few onside kicks. Overall, she has enjoyed her time with the team.
“It’s been a good experience. I’m having so much fun,” Brandwene said.
Brandwene has had high praise for both the coaching staff and the team.
“(The coaching staff) is so nice, and everyone on the team has been really cool about having a girl on the team,” Brandwene said.
While the whole team is nice to her, one of Brandwene’s teammates knows her better than anyone else.
She is in some ways following in the footsteps of her brother, junior Jackson Brandwene, who starts as a goalkeeper for the boys varsity soccer team and also is a kicker for the football team.
“It was definitely unexpected at the start of the season, but playing on the football team with my sister has been cool,” Jackson Brandwene said.
While his sister was challenged to join the team, Jackson had no particular reason for beginning his football career.
“I wanted to kick something other than a soccer ball,” Jackson said.
The two have used this time to bond together and become closer.
“It’s something we can do together and have fun with,” Emma Brandwene said.
Her brother agreed.
“It’s a unique way to spend time together in a team environment,” he said.
Kicking for the team has led each of the siblings on different paths, meeting new people and making new friends.
“The guys on the team are real cool. It’s a fun time for everyone,” Jackson Brandwene said.
As for his sister, she has blended in well with her teammates despite being the only girl on the team.
“It’s definitely weird being the only girl, but everyone has accepted me and taken me in as part of the team,” she said.
The siblings both agree that kicking for the football team is something they want to pursue throughout the rest of their high school careers, with each looking to challenge for the varsity kicking vacancy that senior Jake Monroe will leave.
“I’d love to try and get the number one varsity job next year,” Jackson Brandwene said.
But he’ll have to battle for it.
“It will be fun trying to compete with my brother for the main job next year,” Emma Brandwene said.