In 2016, 1,900 girls played football for their high school teams, according to the National Federation of High School Associations. That number has been increasing and encourages girls to play football professionally.

   “People think it is just a male sport but it is not; women can play it too,” senior Brooke Liebsch said.

   Liebsch plays football and was recently drafted for the Denver Mile High Blaze, which is a semi-pro full contact women’s football team.

   “When I was drafted I felt like I am going away from my family. I thought I was moving there but I am not I am traveling back and forth every week from kc to Denver for practices and games,” Liebsch said.

   Liebsch has been playing football for thirteen years, starting at Pop Warner youth football. Pop Warner says that only one percent of their players are female.

   “I like playing football because when I was little my mom put me in girls sports but I was never interested. I always played catch with my dad. It was the only sport I watched,” Liebsch said.

   Many girls have interests in male-dominated sports like football, but there is no opportunity for them to play it professionally.

   “…Not everyone likes girls sports and… a lot of them like male sports and they don’t realize the talent they have at that sport. …A lot of people don’t know about women’s football today. That is why it is hard to go pro with it,” Liebsch said.

   At the moment the NFL does not have any female players. Only one woman has attempted to join the NFL, Lauren Silberman.

   “Yes, I do believe that women should join teams in the NFL. There are actually girls who play in college that should be able to move to the NFL and get paid to do it. Women should get the right to play any male sport they want,” Liebsch said.

   Liebsch hopes that in the future women can play football and get paid accordingly for it.

   “In ten years I see women’s football being pro and women getting paid to do something they love. Not only that, but me still playing football and getting paid to do it. And hopefully, there will be a lot more women playing than there is now,” Liebsch said.