Many who watched the first freshman football game against Fairfax HS on Sept. 1 may have been wondering who number 46 was after tackling and knocking the opponent’s quarterback off his feet. What may have come as a surprise to the fans and to the other team is that it was their new middle linebacker, who also happens to be a girl. Freshman Dyonne Ebirim is the first girl to play on a football team in AHS history. This year, along with the many changes happening in AHS as a whole, a few students have also turned their backs on the more traditional gender roles when it comes to athletics.

Along with Ebirim being the only girl playing football for AHS, seniors Daniel Huynh and Jayden Starky became the first male cheerleaders AHS has had in a while. Whether it be because they have a passion for the sport they’re playing or because they want to try something new and unexpected, all the athletes are serious about working hard and accomplishing something great. Ebirim has only been playing football since last March, but is already a great addition to the freshman team.

“It all started when the coaches came to my middle school,” Ebirim said. “I was trying to sign up for football because I was enjoying it, but they wouldn’t let me because it’s not something girls usually do.” When advised to join the volleyball team instead, Ebirim insisted on joining the football team just to prove them wrong.

“I found out during summer conditioning,” freshman football player Nathan Le said. “I was surprised, but it’s a good thing that we have a girl on our team; it just means that our school is tough because we have girls and guys playing football.”

The boys on the team try to treat Ebirim as equally as they can, but admit to going a little soft on her out of concern for her safety. “My mom is scared because she doesn’t want me to get hurt,” Ebirim said. “But she’s okay with it as long as I don’t break any bones.” Ebirim also acknowledged that some of the boys on the team are a lot faster and stronger than her, but it only motivates her to train harder.

On the cheerleading squad, the strength of the boys is one of the best assets they have to offer to the group this year. “For the guys, their focus is gymnastics and stunting,” varsity cheerleading coach Sarita Viloria said. “Guys are just by nature stronger, so what could take a girl four years to perfect in stunting and tumbling, it takes the guy less than a week. Guys can come in here and be  near perfect cheerleaders in a week.”

Both Starky and Huynh joined the cheer squad because they saw it as a fun and new experience. “I was [cheer] manager last year,” Huynh said. “It was interesting because they got me to help them with a stunt once and it was fun, so I came this year just to stunt and tumble.”

Ebirim, Starky and Huynh are all taking the fall sports season as an opportunity to try something new because they weren’t interested in any of the other AHS sports, but still wanted to participate in athletics. “Cheerleading is really physical,” Viloria said. “Any football players or big strong guys who want to play football but can’t because of some reason can stay in shape by cheerleading because it’s a full body workout.”

Starky is having a few problems with eligibility that he hopes to resolve as soon as possible so that he can be cleared to become an official member of the squad. “Last year, due to insomnia I took online classes,” Starky said. “I only did four and a half credits last year, but to be eligible for sports you need five credits, so now we’re appealing to the VHSL.”

Other than the physical and academic challenges some of these athletes had to face, how they were perceived by their peers contributed to some of the social obstacles associated with the activities they chose to participate in. Ebirim hasn’t been given too hard of time about her situation, although she said, “it’s nerve-racking because everyone is watching me, being the only girl, and I know that it’s impressive and everyone is talking about me, but it’s kind of worrisome because I never know what people are saying all the time.”

“Not everything can be good,” she said. “Girls can be jealous since I’m surrounded by boys all the time. But it’s not like that; they’re like my brothers.” Just like many teams, the freshman football team has formed a strong bond among all the squad’s players, including Ebirim.

“It’s like having a sibling helping you,” freshman football player Rob Thomas said. “Sometimes we can talk to her about [relationship] problems and get a girl’s point of view.” Generally, the other boys on the team are very open and welcoming to Ebirim and do not treat her differently based on her gender.

As their former manager, fitting in with the girls on the cheer squad was an easy task for Huynh, as it was for Starky. “[Huynh] was the manager last year so the girls know him,” Viloria said. “Cheerleading is very hands-on, so knowing [Huynh] made them more comfortable.”

Outside of AHS, it is more common for men to cheer, especially on the collegiate level. Huynh and Starky are actually benefiting from being on the squad on a social level. “You become a lot more popular and plus you get to befriend all the cheerleaders,” Huynh said.

Each of these athletes is no doubt gaining unique experiences that not many at AHS have had, all because they tried something that nobody at this school has attempted in recent years. “I don’t want to live life wondering ‘what if’ and it’s not something I plan on doing in the future,” Ebirim said.