Two females will play for Panthers' boys' varsity team

Friday, August 08, 2008

For 26 members of the Dawson Springs boys’ varsity soccer team this season will be one of adjusting to a youthful program in its second year of existence, but for two other members it will be one of adjusting to playing with boys.

Juniors Beth Anne Dickens and Emilee Workman will join the boys program after not enough girls of age showed interest to field a girls varsity team.

The move is not one that surprised the athletic department because the girls team graduated seven seniors last season, leaving few upperclassmen behind.

By springtime Dickens and Workman were forced to make a decision.

“It was play with the boys, or don’t play at all,” Workman said.

Boys coach Randal Campbell welcomed the addition of the girls because they bring years of talent and experience to a program that is just getting its roots.

“They bring solid fundamentals,” Campbell said. “They played on a girls soccer team several years. They have a great understanding of the game.

They’ve earned the respect of our boys.”

Although the team has not had its first game yet, Workman said she already notices great differences in the style of play.

“They’re definitely bigger than the girls,” she said. “You get knocked down a lot. They’re a lot quicker. They like more contact. They’ll run up to you and let you have it.”

Workman and Dickens agreed one difference they bring to the team is their ability to remain calm and not argue or fight like the boys may be inclined to do.

Despite the differences senior goalie Alan Higbee said there is no tension on the team because they are united in the goal to succeed.

“I don’t feel ashamed to have girls on the team,” he said. “I’m not sexist at all. They’re good, they’re going to help me.

Senior co-captain Zach Chappell agreed and welcomed the girls into the team’s family.

“We’re brothers and now two sisters,” he added. “They’re as good as we are. We can’t really patronize them.”

While the Panther boys may have welcomed Dickens and Workman quite easily, the same may not be true when the girls take to the field against opposing players.

“Some of them I think will try to be too gentle with us, or try to kill us,” Dickens said.

If other players attempt to be too physical, however, Chappell, Higbee, Aaron Duke, and Jonathan Snell all agreed they would step in to correct the situation.

Duke admitted opposing players may laugh at first to see girls on the field, but not once the ball is put in play and they exhibit their skills.

Campbell is hoping the duo will have a different effect on the opposition.

“The first couple weeks we practiced with them our boys were sweet and nice,” he said. “We’re hoping we’ll get the bluff over on (opposing teams) early.”

Besides helping the team with their experience Campbell said the girls’ presence has also raised the character of the team.

“It’s caused the boys to be much more respectful on the field, better men of character, better sportsmen, they have become greater athletes,” he noted.

While the team’s success this season is to be determined one thing is clear, the girls will remain committed to success and will not allow the opposite gender to push them around on the field.

“They will knock my boys to the ground in a heartbeat and not feel bad about it,” Campbell said. “So my boys have learned to push back.

“These two, Beth Anne and Emilee are not wimpy girls. They show up, they give me their best efforts every game.”