[
HER SPACE] editorial Overture to ‘Sweet Feet’
A different kind of
recruiting letter
O
n Nov. 21, a 9-year- old YouTube sensation
from Utah became the first female football player depicted on a Wheaties box. Samantha “Sweet Feet” Gordon earned the distinction after a highlight video uploaded by her father took the country by storm. Just who was this little speedster breaking tackles and leaving the boys in her dust? And would she ever consider lacrosse? In December, I sent this letter to Gordon along with a lacrosse care package...
Dear Ms. Gordon, Congratulations on becoming the first-ever female football player to be featured on a Wheaties box, and at only 9 years old! I am one of the millions of people who’ve watched your highlight reel on YouTube. Every time I see your little ponytail peeking out from under your helmet, I want to clap and cheer, and it’s so exciting that you’ve been on ESPN and “Good Morning America” and BYUtv. For other little girls (and for grown-up ladies like me), it’s nice to be able to go online, or turn on the TV, and see a female athlete like you. It reminds us that there are lots of tough, talented girls out there in the world, and about how much fun it is to get outside and run around and play a game.
A Publication of US Lacrosse
You also did a great job in your television interviews — much better than even some adults. You
were polite and
enthusiastic, and you really nailed Marshall Faulk with that tackle on “NFL GameDay Morning.” You mentioned in your
“SportsCenter” interview that while you’ve become well-known for playing football, you actually prefer soccer. It’s cool that you play two sports. At US Lacrosse, we think it’s really important for kids to play lots of different games, because it’s easy to get bored if you do the same thing all the time. Plus, there are skills that transfer from one sport to another, like how your soccer footwork made you better at football. With that in mind, US Lacrosse wanted to send you a little present — a lacrosse starter kit. With this letter we’ve enclosed two sticks, three balls, a mouth guard and protective goggles that should fit a girl your age. Watching your football clips made me think you’d be good at lacrosse, and I wondered if you might like to try it. You know how some people call soccer the beautiful game? Lacrosse has a nickname too — the fastest game on two feet. It’s speedy and fun. You’d enjoy it. In football, you’re great at changing directions to beat tacklers and blockers. That’s similar
to the way lacrosse players dodge their defenders. Your fast feet from soccer would be a huge advantage, too. Learning to use the stick can take time, but it’s a blast once you get the hang of it. If you’re worried about bopping yourself or your passing partner with the hard rubber ball at first, it’s OK to start with something softer like a tennis ball. That’s how my dad taught me to catch and throw, and when I felt ready, I switched over to a real ball.
Also, while there is such a thing as indoor lacrosse, don’t play catch inside, especially while you are still learning. In 1992, I broke a framed picture at my Aunt Kathy’s house doing that, and I think she is still a little mad at me about it. If you (or your parents) need tips on how to get started, you can check out the US Lacrosse website at
uslacrosse.org. We have lots of instructional materials and a YouTube channel with how-to videos and highlight clips from our national teams to show how the game is played. You can also reach out to your local lacrosse community through the Utah Lacrosse Association, which is a chapter of US Lacrosse.
There are more than 8,000 US Lacrosse members in Utah, and there’s a girls’ league in Salt Lake City if you like lacrosse enough to considering joining a team. If you’d like to see some big girls play, there are great women’s club teams at BYU and Utah. We hope you enjoy the
gear, and have lots of happy, exciting years of playing sports ahead of you! And if you ever want to learn more about our game, just give US Lacrosse a shout. LM
It’s cool that you play two sports. At US Lacrosse, we think it’s really important for kids to play different games.
— Clare Lochary
clochary@uslacrosse.org February 2013 >> LACROSSE MAGAZINE 19
©JOHN STROHSACKER
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