After impressing the coach with a 45-yard kick, a young girl from Louisiana who has always wanted to play football earned a position on her school’s squad, according to reports on Friday.
While playing in Raceland Middle School’s PowerPuff football game as a fundraiser, Harmony Fitch, 13, asked Coach Allen Wiltz if she could demonstrate her kick-off distance to earn a position on the squad.
“I decided to entertain her,” Wiltz told People magazine, adding he didn’t know what to expect.
“I said sure, show me what you got — and Harmony lined herself up and bolted one down the field.”
In fact, the teenager kicked the ball 45 yards down the field, a feat that even New York Jets kicker Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein was unable to do during Sunday’s 24-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Wiltz asked Harmony to perform the feat a second time, and he was astounded by her success when she did so.
“My mouth dropped,” Wiltz told the outlet. “and I said, ‘Holy s—.’”
After making an impression on the coach, Harmony revealed to Wiltz that she had always wanted to play football. Wiltz allowed her to participate in the summer workouts as long as she could hold her own during weight training, conditioning, and practise sessions.
“Harmony was there any day she could be,” Wiltz said, adding Harmony is also a member of the school’s dance and volleyball teams.
“When I saw this young lady work so hard at all these different activities, I knew she could handle football.”
In August, Harmony made her squad debut as the lone female player, claiming she was “surprised” Wiltz gave her an opportunity.
“I gave coach a big hug and said thank you,” Harmony told the outlet.
“It’s going great when I don’t mess up… I have to stay focused during practice and super focused during game time.”
Even though she’s the only girl on the team, the fellow players have embraced her and are happy to have her as their kicker, she said.
“They always have my back when I mess up,” Harmony said.
“They always tell me to shake it off and get it back the next time. They are like big brothers and family, I love all of them.”
Harmony’s dad, pro-boxer Morgan “Big Chief” Fitch, said his daughter has been training for this moment her whole life after growing up going to the gym with him and watching him train.
“She’s been in the gym since she’s been a little girl,” said the proud pops.
“Every sport she does, she’s the dominant one… She’s a beast in everything she does. And everything she does, that little girl, that little girl excels,” he said.
“Everything that she does, she’s an inspiration to many of these kids in my community right now.”
