Kellyville 12-Year-Old Set To Begin 4th Football Season As The Only Girl On Her Team

A 12-year-old in Kellyville is breaking barriers as the only girl on her middle-school football team.

Lilly Chapa wears the number four and plays Center and Defensive Back for the Kellyville 5th and 6th-grade team. She was a cheerleader, but three years ago, she decided to try her luck on the football field.

"I wanted to play since third grade but my mom wouldn't let me because she was too afraid I was getting hurt," said Lilly.

Her mom, Misty Chapa, says that even though she was initially worried, she knew once Lilly set her mind to it, there was nothing that could stand in her way.

“Makes me very proud of her,” said Misty. “She’s set her goals to play football, and at the beginning, I wasn’t sure, but she’s knocked them out for the last three years.”

Lilly’s coaches say when she’s on the field, she’s just like one of the boys.

"For me, it's just about pushing her the same, treat her exactly the same as the boys, get after it, nothing's any different, just go play,” said her coach, Cy Wheeler. “Period, full stop."

"She's a head-crusher,” said Adrian Harton, one of her coaches. “She's awesome at Center. She's really good, she has sharp snaps. Like I said, this is my first time coaching a girl, and she does really good."

Misty hopes other girls wanting to play football will be inspired by Lilly’s success.

"It is a big privilege to watch her set those goals, be that leader for other kids that are probably wanting to play football as a girl and not thinking they can,” said Misty. “And then you see a little girl out there giving it her all, and so that may be their actual opportunity to go do it."

Lilly wants girls to know they can do anything they set their minds to.

“Girls can play whatever they want,” said Lilly. “They're tough."