The Castle High School football team, in Newburgh, IN, has always had a reputation for excellence and wins on the field. One of my sons played on the defensive line for the Knights, so we know the coaches and the program very well.

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The expectations of players on the team are high and the players give it all they have both on and off the field. The coaches never settle and never compromise. All of the players are expected to perform at the highest level of high school football.

That is one of the reasons I am so impressed and proud of their new kicker, Aleyna Quinn. She has become the first female football player in program history.

In her first game, Aleyna was four for four in her first game and played an intricate part in the Knights over the North Huskies.

Photographer Jeff Tron shared these photos with me.

Jeff Tron
Jeff Tron
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I love how excited she looks in this photo. The happiness on her face brings tears to my eyes as her dreams of playing football are coming true.

Jeff Tron
Jeff Tron
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Aleyna's focus and drive are evident on her face, too.

Jeff Tron
Jeff Tron
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You GO, ALEYNA!!!! We are all so proud of you! Keep it up!

How many female athletes play high school football in the US?

According to 2022 stats from statista.com,

The combined number of male and female participants playing football (11-player) at the high school level in the United States declined for the third consecutive year in 2019. The number of male participants dropped to around one million, whereas the number of female participants increased by around 7.5 percent to 2,404.

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