Sullivan
High School senior working to be first female offensive line starter in Indiana
history
By Jessica
Winters, THG Sports
August 1, 2004
When football practice
officially begins in Indiana tomorrow, Tonya Ludlow wants to be treated like one
anyone else on the team.
A senior member of the
National Honor Society and editor of the school newspaper, Ludlow wants to prove
a point: women can compete with men on any field of endeavor.
This is why the 5-foot-8,
225 pound Ludlow decided to try out for the Sullivan football team.
Describing herself as a
“feminist to the bone”, Ludlow believes that for women to be treated equally
with men, they need to constantly knock down any doors or break any “glass
ceilings” that may be holding the female gender back.
This is why she decided to
try out for the football team—to show her male counterparts that anything they
can do, she can do just as well or even better.
And unlike many girls who
have tried—and failed—to crack a high school team’s starting lineup, Sullivan
coach Rick O’Reilly believes Ludlow has a good chance at earning a starting
position at offensive left guard.
“Tonya has worked out with
the team all winter, and is naturally very strong. She made the top ten on our
team with her combined bench press, squat, and power clean totals. She is not
real athletic, but she makes up for it with her attitude. I think it is safe to
say she will be the meanest player we have. I wouldn’t be surprised if she
cracked the starting lineup,” said O’Reilly.
When asked if any football
players were her role models, Ludlow mentioned only one. “Kathleen Trumbo. She
was the first woman in Indiana to play an entire season for a high school
football team in this state (Corydon Central, 1989). I hope to build on what
she started by taking it to the next level and becoming a starter.”
I wouldn’t put my money
against Tonya Ludlow taking the field against North Central when the Golden
Arrows kick off the regular season at home August 13 at 6 pm.
