As the freshman football team took the field against Maine South on Sept. 13, it was hard to notice a difference between No. 23 and the rest of the players. With her ponytail tucked neatly underneath her jersey, Kelly Pearson was the only girl on the team.

Kelly said she is constantly asked if she changes in the boys’ locker room, and always answers that she does not. Instead, she changes in the girls’ locker room.

“I’ve gotten some weird looks from people [in the girls’ locker room], but anyone who has said anything has been supportive,” Kelly said.

Her father Chris Pearson, has been the freshman football coach at New Trier High School for 12 years. Pearson said he has been very supportive of her decision to play football.

“This is the first year [Kelly’s] played organized football,” said Chris. “We’ve been tossing the ball around for years, though. Since she could walk, we’ve been throwing the football around.”

Kelly made the decision to try out for the football team over the summer when she participated in the summer camps offered by the football program.

“At the beginning, it was a little weird because [the guys] were like, ‘What am I supposed to do?  Am I supposed to tackle a girl?’” said Kelly. “But they eventually got used to [tackling me] because I’d be tackling them. Then they just [kind of] treated me like anyone else on the team.”

During a practice earlier this season, Kelly was tackled and fell hard, fracturing her wrist.

“She’s so tough that not only did she not ask to go anywhere during [that] practice, but then she sat through lunchtime for an hour and a half and ate her lunch and didn’t complain about it,” said freshman coach Scott Williams.

At the end of the day, Kelly showed Williams her swollen arm and said she should have it checked out.

“Turns out, she broke it,” Williams said.

Due to her injury, she has been moved from her primary positions of cornerback and wide receiver to kicker.

“[Recently], I was [kind of] having trouble with my kicking,” said Kelly. “[The ball] just wasn’t going through [the uprights], so I went with my dad to New Trier and he got the ball bag out and a tee and we just practiced kicking it. …He told me, ‘Just clear your head, you can do this. …Do your steps, take a deep breath and go.’ After that, I [started making kicks again] and [I was] a lot better.”

Against Hersey in her high school debut, she made two extra points on three attempts.

“Those two [point after touchdowns] in the game that I made were awesome,” said Kelly. “Especially the last one. I was just really happy to contribute something to the team. The coaches always say, ‘It’s gotta go through, it’s gotta go through.’ So I told myself that. I kicked and it went in. It’s a great feeling because everyone was cheering and high-fiving me. There was really a sense of team. I love being a part of the team.”

Kelly plans to continue playing football throughout her high school career and hopes to return to playing her primary positions of cornerback and wide receiver after her injury heals.

“I’m proud of her because she’s pursuing an interest and a passion and that’s what’s driving her,” said Chris. “I’m sure there are moments where it’s hard being the only girl. I’m really impressed with her ability to push through whatever misgiving she might have to do something she really wants to do.”