Maya Turner is a first-year kicker for the University of Manitoba. On September 23, she became the first woman to compete for the Bison. She did more than just that. On the last play of the second overtime of Manitoba's game against the University of Regina Rams, Turner kicked a 21-yard field goal for the win. It was her fifth made kick of the day (three extra points and a another 21-yard figgie) with no misses.
We've seen female kickers before, even one who kicked for an SEC program, and I suspect we'll see more and more as women's soccer continues to grow and produce strong-legged athletes. But what made me pay attention to this story was Dobie's post-game message to his team. If you ever want a definition of what it means to be an ally, just watch this:
In Manitoba's next game, Taylor made two more field goals without a miss (from 26 and 32 yards) and converted all four of her extra points, making her perfect in 11 spot kicks this season. News about Manitoba football is a bit hard to come by, but it looks like the kicker who began the year as the Bison starter (Vinny De Rosa) is no longer on the roster, so Taylor may well be the starter for the rest of the season.
At some point, she'll miss a kick. And I feel pretty confident in saying that her coach and her teammates will have her back.
Posts
