Natelee McGowan: The girl of the gridiron

TEKOA - Timberwolves sophomore Natelee McGowan loves playing sports, especially football. She is not just on the gridiron with her teammates, but on the front lines protecting her quarterback.

"I really love it," McGowan said. "I've liked it since I was in sixth grade and I finally got to play in eighth grade."

McGowan played her eighth-grade year at her old school, but did not play as a freshman. After coming to Tekoa-Rosalia, she returned to the field with her new teammates.

"I didn't play my freshman year because my old school said that I wasn't capable of it," McGowan said. "Then I came here and they said I could play."

McGowan said the thing she enjoys most is being with her teammates and team bonding. She said in eighth grade her teammates were not very welcoming, but at Tekoa-Rosalia, her teammates are always telling her, "good job!"

She decided she wanted to play football when she was younger and a friend helped her spark interest in playing.

"One of my old friends was throwing around the ball and I said, 'you should teach me how to do that,' and then I actually wanted to try to play football," McGowan said.

It is rare to see a girl playing high school football and it is even more rare for one to be a lineman. McGowan said it is the position she most enjoys playing and what she's best at.

"Well, I can't really catch and I can't really throw, but I can run," McGowan said. "So, my coaches said, 'let's put you here and see what you can do.' It was the thing I was best at and I liked it most anyway."

The Timberwolves had their season come to a close with a loss to the No. 2 team in the state, the Wilbur-Creston-Keller Wildcats, in a District 6 crossover game on Friday, Nov. 8.

McGowan said she is looking forward to next season and will try to learn to be a kicker on the team.