Female Athlete Takes One For The Team

A female football player has been making headlines for her performance. She has played hard and well, and recently opted to sit out a game.  Why?  Because the team they were up against threatened to forfeit if she played.  Nice, huh?

As the Tidewater News reported, Johnson recorded four sacks in a recent game against Rocky Mount, and was gaining a reputation in the league as a standout junior varsity player. It all seemed to be going right for the eighth-grader -- until she suddenly decided to sit out her team's most recent game against Northeast.

Why? It wasn't due to injury. Rather, Johnson decided not to play in the game after the opposition threatened to forfeit if Johnson was allowed to play. Apparently, Northeast had a problem with its boys playing football against a girl. So instead of making a fuss about the whole situation, Johnson sat on the sidelines for her team's 60-0 victory.

"There is nothing in the rule books for junior varsity football in North Carolina or Virginia that says a girl can't play," the teen's mother, Mona Johnson, told the Tidewater News. "No one is breaking any rules by allowing her to play."

Northeast isn't the only upcoming opponent considering a forfeit if Johnson doesn't sit out. Raleigh (N.C.) Word of God Christian Academy is also reportedly considering a forfeit as well; the two schools are scheduled to play a game on Oct. 27.

Her team wore pink to support her while they delivered the 60-0 thrashing. I'm glad to see the people most important to her stood by and showed support. I still can't believe we are having this type of problem. Johnson did the right thing for her team, but she shouldn't have to face this decision at all.

Word of God, my ass. Every single person involved in the "give in or we will ruin it for everyone" should be ashamed.