Scott Backus, Tippecanoe Valley Middle School's seventh-grade football coach, tells of the time a few weeks ago when his wing back left players sprawling on the field.

"On this one particular carry in the Rochester game," he says, "three guys were lying on the ground when it was over."

Football players lying on the ground after plays because they got their bell rung is nothing new, you say.

What is new, or at least different, is when the wing back's name is Rebekah Parker, and she is the 5-foot-5, 107-pound football player who sent the defenders scattering like bowling pins.

"I hit 'em when I was carrying the ball, and they just laid there," Rebekah says. "They were crying. It kind of made me feel good. I guess I hit 'em in the right spot."

Thirteen-year-old Rebekah Parker is one of two local girls who played junior high football this season. The other is 14-year-old Cassie Himes, who played offensive and defensive tackle for Lakeview's eighth-grade football team.

Neither school corporation has ever had a girl play on the high school football team, and this is believed to be the first time Valley has had a girl play on the junior high team. Warsaw has had middle school girls play on boys' teams. Himes is believed to be the first girl to play on Lakeview's football team.

Valley knew what was coming once Rebekah got older. She played football in the Manchester Pee Wee League as a 10-year-old fourth grader. She played quarterback on offense and inside linebacker on defense.

This may help you understand Rebekah and why she plays: She wonders why other girls she knows don't want to play football like she does.

"I ask them sometimes," she says. "They say they'll get hurt or something."

She grew up playing football against little brother Jerrod since the time both could walk. At family reunions, Rebekah is the one who breaks out the football.

She plays football because she wants to, not because she wants to make a statement or open doors by being the first girl at Valley to play on the football team.

Asked if she thinks about her impact, she says, "No, not really.

"Ever since I played at Manchester, I wanted to keep playing, so I decided to play at middle school. I like to hit people.

"I guess it just got around I was going to play, so I guess (Backus) just had to go with it."

Rebekah's always loved football. She showed up for the seventh-grade practice and joined the team.

Just like that.

"It was never a problem at all," Backus says "She beat up the guys most of the time. The only thing we had to do is make sure the girls locker room was open for her. Other than that, there was nothing different."

Cassie says her coach, Lane Leeper, had to make two other changes.

"At first he called me Kari," she says. "And he'd always remind himself to say gentleman and ladies."

Unlike Rebekah, #Cassie did not play as a seventh grader. Her first year of organized football was this year as an eighth grader.

When she did not make the volleyball team, she thought about being a manager. Her dad, Terry, suggested that she join the football team. She followed his advice and even picked his high school uniform number, 50.

"My Grandma and mom," #Cassie says, "they weren't too excited. They said, 'Oh, you'll get killed.'"

Like Rebekah, Cassie is headstrong and determined and maybe even a tad stubborn.

"I wanted to show the guys I'm not a wuss like other kids," Cassie says. "I wanted to show I wouldn't take people making fun of me. I've always been put down or made fun of, but I wasn't going to take it anymore."

The girls experienced different reactions by teammates.

"I think I was just one of the guys," says Rebekah.

Says Cassie: "It took some getting used to. They didn't like the idea of a girl on the team. I told them I wouldn't go easy on them. I told them I wouldn't quit right away. They thought I would quit."

No, neither one quit. And no, neither one paced the sidelines.

Rebekah started at wing back and rarely left the field on offense. Against Wawasee, Valley's first play of the game was a pitch left to Rebekah. She played on the special teams and played cornerback on defense.

Her best game this season came against Rochester, when rushed for 40 yards on eight carries and caught four passes for 25 yards.

Cassie averaged at least one to two quarters of playing time per game.

"My favorite was running blocking because I got to push 'em to the side and get 'em out of the path so the running back can try to score," Himes says.

Because they wear helmets, both would make it through the game without opposing players knowing they were girls.

"I went to shake hands, had my helmet off, and it was like, 'Oh my gosh, we got beat by a team with a girl on it,'" Cassie says. "It kind of made me laugh."

For that matter, even the referees would not know.

"Rebekah was a captain sometimes for us," Backus says. "The refs didn't even know when they would get the captains together before the game and say, 'Guys, have a good clean game.'"

It is Tuesday night, and only hours before, Rebekah helped Valley finish the season 4-4 by beating Edgewood 28-14. She scored her first touchdown of the season in this game, an 8-yard pass reception.

Backus made sure she got one touchdown as he set up a couple of plays for her near the end zone.

At home after the game, she sits on the couch, and while she talks football, football news drones on the TV in the background on the ESPNNews (???) channel. Coach Bill Parcells is talking about his New York Jets.

Her Dad, Lynn, joins in. He watched Valley's game, and the touchdown is not all he remembers. Asked what highlight stands out this season, he ribs, "How about that penalty tonight? She got a penalty tonight."

"It wasn't my fault," she says. "I just dropped the ball and it hit off the guy's helmet and rolled off. They said I threw the ball. I just laid it down, and it hit his helmet."

"That (penalty) stands out right there," Lynn chides. "She got that from her mom."

When Rebekah's playing career began as a 10-year-old, it was toughest on Lynn.

"It was a shock to me," he says. "But she wanted to, and she had the desire. We said we'd give it a try. She played in the Manchester league and got along good.

"Injuries are the utmost concern, but the Lord protects her. She handles herself pretty well."

Rebekah, whose favorite sport is basketball, plans on playing football as an eighth grader, while Cassie is unsure of her football plans as a freshman.

"I really don't know," Cassie says. "I took enough pressure this year, and there's three things I want to do next year: athletic training or band, softball and track."

Says Lynn of Rebekah: "We're just glad she wants to do these things, but it's her decision. We sure enjoy watching her play. If it wouldn't be for that penalty ...

"She just has that want-to. And that's a good thing for kids to have."

Oh, and the injuries? Neither girl got more than scrapes, bumps and bruises.

And Cassie, even if this one year is it, is glad she played.

"I learned that I am stronger than I think," she says. "I used to think I couldn't handle things like pain. I found out I handle it better than some people."

Fourteen-year-old Cassie Himes and 13-year-old Rebekah Parker played junior high football this year.

Cassie played offensive and defensive tackle for Lakeview's eighth-grade team, while Rebekah played wing back, cornerback and special teams for Tippecanoe Valley's seventh-grade team.

Both are mulling whether to keep their football playing careers alive. Rebekah is almost certain to play as an eighth grader next year; Cassie seems more uncertain, as she has other interests.

Should Cassie decide to play in high school, she would be the first girl football player in Warsaw Community High School's history.

Rebekah is a year away from high school, but like Himes, she would be the first girl football player in Tippecanoe Valley High School's history.

At least one high school in the state, South Bend Riley, had a female football player. She served as the kicker.

Valley Athletic Director Duane Burkhart coached girls basketball for several years. He would welcome Rebekah as a high school football player.

"My line has been all along if she can help us advance, I'm all for it," he says. "If a kid can play and contribute, I'm all for it.

"Having coached girls, maybe I'm different. I have always looked as females as equals. We had girls basketball players here - Jody Yochum, Leslie Miller, Mindy Metzger - who would challenge guys to games, and they wouldn't accept.

"I certainly don't shortchange females in their efforts and abilities. It's definitely an interest from the fans' perspective."

Like Burkhart, Warsaw Athletic Director Dave Fulkerson says he would never do anything to discourage a female from playing football. But he frets about potential injuries.

"The big thing is the safety factor," Fulkerson said. "I think the thing is, each year it would be tougher physically. As far as physical maturity level, boys pass up girls as freshmen and sophomores.

"If she came out for the team, it would be up to the discretion of the coach whether she would make the team, and we usually don't make cuts at the freshman level."

Neither athletic director believed that girls who wanted to play high school football would have to sign any special waivers or forms. All athletes sign forms now that relieve the school of any liability.

"If this case arrived," Fulkerson said, "we would have to probably check with the superintendent and the corporation's attorney."

One guy who would know whether a girl could succeed in high school football is Scott Backus. Backus coaches Valley's seventh-grade team. He is in his early 20s, and not too long ago, he played football for the Vikings.

Talking about Rebekah, he said, "Right now, girls are often bigger than guys from a physical standpoint, but down the road, the guys will be a lot bigger. If she stays dedicated to football, she could succeed in high school, but probably not as a running back. She could play a position like split end, if she sticks with it.

"I don't know if she will stick with it. If she does, she will do a good job." [[In-content Ad]]