Seventh grader A’myra Tatum plays football for the Jackson Jaguars in Jackson, Mississippi. In her third season, A’myra is a triple threat at quarterback, linebacker, and running back. She grew up watching her mom English Bennett on the field, Women’s National Football Conference running back for the Mississippi Panthers. After attending every Panthers’ practice and home game, A’myra wanted to get on the field herself.
She knew football was her game in her very first year when she was competing with the boys and scored her first career touchdown at quarterback. In her second year, she was the team’s Most Valuable Player. Every season, she’s been voted team captain, and her leadership has been a spark for her team.
A’myra has felt supported on her football journey, by her family, the Panthers, and her teammates. She loves the Mississippi Panthers and finds motivation and inspiration from her mom. She says, “Watching her be strong has made me want to be strong too.”
She loves “that my teammates believed in me and never tried to stop me for being a girl playing football.” She’s had other teams underestimate her. She’s risen to the challenge saying, “I was able to show them that I can stop them and score.” A’myra loves training with older athletes to challenge herself to grow.
A’myra wants more girls to get in the game and reminds us that it’s not just a boys’ sport. “I just want more girls to play football because they can do it too,” she says. Her future goals in sport are to continue competing on the field. She says, “I want to play football as long as I can.”
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