The Guardian (USA)

Sarah Fuller: 'My male college football teammates call me Champ'

- Loretta Hunt

football team – that is going to be a barrier broken. That’s awesome. I shared with her that I have four daughters of fter three consecutiv­e my own and that made me very proud years of injuries, Sarah to be on the football field with her, and Fuller was just hoping to congratula­te her and wish her the best.” piece together her first After the game, Fuller told reporters full season for Vanderher teamtalk felt natural. “I just went bilt University women’s soccer team in in there and I said exactly what I was 2020. thinking. I was like, ‘ We need to be

On 28 November she did a bit cheering each other on. This is how you more than that when, as a lastwin games. This is how you get better is minute replacemen­t due to a Covid-19 by calling each other out for stuff, and outbreak, the 21-year-old goalkeeper I’m going to call you guys out. We need became the first female athlete to play to be supporting one another. We need in the Power 5, the highest level of colto be lifting each other up. That’s what lege football. Fuller and her soccer team a team’s about,’” Fuller said. “I think this had clinched their season with a confeagain­st Missouri 41-0. Fuller didn’t get has been amazing. A few of my teamteam has struggled, and that’s been part rence title just six days earlier whenit.theopportu­nitytopunt­orscoreafi­eldmates’littlesist­ersplayfla­gfootball,of she took the field for the halftime kickgoal. She did take the initiative to adand they’ve asked me to send videos Fuller clearly acquitted herself well: off for the men’s football team with a dress her new team at halftime, though, to them, saying they’re inspired.” she’s been asked to suit up again on Sathelmet bearing the words “Play like a something she’d often done in her role Missouri’s coach, Eli Drinkwitz, was urday for the Commodores against rival girl” . as a soccer captain. impressed. “Any time a barrier is Tennessee.

Fuller’s kickoff didn’t win the game. “These past few weeks have been broken, it should be commended,” he Between acquaintin­g herself with It didn’t even turn the tide for incredible,” Fuller told the Guardian said after the game. “For her to have the her new team – who she says were the Commodores, who lost the game this week. “The energy on the team courage to come out and be a part of a supportive straight away – and studying

Afor finals over the last two weeks, Fuller has also maneuvered instant celebrity. Fuller’s unexpected turn as a trailblaze­r has garnered her national appearance­s on Good Morning America and CNN, and drawn praise from the likes of LeBron James and Megan Rapinoe. It helps that the 6ft 1in Texan isn’t a stranger to sticking out of a crowd. Literally.

From elementary through junior high school, Fuller was the tallest student in her class – boy or girl. Yet, while other kids might have wilted at

 ??  ?? Sarah Fuller warms up before before her debut for Vanderbilt’s football team. Photograph: Hunter Dyke/USA Today Sports
Sarah Fuller warms up before before her debut for Vanderbilt’s football team. Photograph: Hunter Dyke/USA Today Sports
 ??  ?? Sarah Fuller: ‘These past few weeks have been incredible’. Photograph: Vanderbilt Ath
Sarah Fuller: ‘These past few weeks have been incredible’. Photograph: Vanderbilt Ath

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