North Dallas senior breaks barriers on the football field

Stefhany is a senior at North Dallas High, where she has taken on a big challenge, making the Varsity football team.

"When I was in Mexico, I started playing football but it was only flag," Stefhany recounted.

But she hasn't shied away from the hits here in Texas High School Football. Most girls who hit the grid iron are kickers, but Stefhany is on the defensive line!

"It was a little different, because most girls, again, play kicker," said North Dallas High football coach Fred Johnson III. "And she was like 'no I want to play coach, I just want to be on the team.' So she came out and she's been here ever since."

And she's established herself as one of the guys on the field.

"As I respect them, they respect me," Stefhany said. "I started talking more to them, asking them what movements, where do I go, do I go through this guy?"

"She's quiet, she doesn't want the attention, she doesn't want it to be broadcast that she's the only girl on the team," said coach Johnson. "She wants to be treated like everyone else."

That respect has earned her a spot as one of the team's co-captains, and her trailblazing is already being felt for the future of North Dallas football.

"I've acquired other e-mails, even today and this morning, of young ladies at our feeder middle schools that want to play football next year," Johnson said. "So we're going to call it the Stefhany Trend. She started it and there's going to be some more young ladies to play at North Dallas High School."

So she's not just hitting hard for herself, she's clearing a lane for all the girls that come after her!