Emma admits that very first day was difficult.

“I cried in the car on the way to the gym,” she said. “I was very nervous. I just walked in and got with my lifting group. I didn’t talk to anyone.”

But today, Emma is simply a part of the team. She has increased her strength in the squats, bench and incline bench and improved on her speed. She has learned the system and is able to make reads better and do a better job of shedding blockers from her interior defensive line position.

She plays on the freshman-sophomore team and has been credited with one tackle and one assist so far this season.

Mike McDonald is the head coach of the frosh-soph team and Aaron Adams coaches the line. On the varsity level, her line coach is Obie Farmer.

“The coaches have been great,” Emma noted. “They let me know when I’m doing something wrong.”

Emma initially wanted to play left tackle. Her motivation came from the movie “Blind Side,” which was about long-time NFL standout Michael Oher. But she quickly realized she just wasn’t big enough to play that position and switched to the defensive line.

“I just didn’t want to be way worse than everyone else,” she admitted. “Everybody sees how you do in practice. At first, I felt behind because the others knew the system and I had to learn it.

“I still don’t want to mess up, but I don’t get really nervous anymore,” Emma added. “Being faster and stronger would help a lot. But I try hard and I try to never take a rep off. I’m determined to do my best on every play. And with our coaches, I get the same shot as everyone else.”

Emma remembers having the jitters and getting thrown down a lot during her first game.

“I was expecting to get hit, but I wasn’t ready for it,” she said. “In another game, I kept getting pushed back and couldn’t stop it. It was frustrating because I know I’m not supposed to get pushed back. I need to improve my technique and keep working to get faster.”

While Emma is thoroughly enjoying her first year on the football team, mom and dad had mixed emotions.

“I was excited for her,” said Eric, who played offensive and defensive tackle and was a team captain for the Hearts under Coach McDonald from 1991-1994. “I actually wanted her to play when she was younger.”

“I was apprehensive about it,” Jamie countered. “I’m kind of dumb when it comes to sports. I have notes on my phone so I know what positions my kids play. I didn’t grow up in a sports house. But I knew the boys were going to be bigger than Emma and that they could possibly hurt her. She’s still a girl and they’re still boys.”

“I was worried that the coaches wouldn’t take her seriously and that the boys wouldn’t accept her,” Eric added. “But we were very pleased with how quickly she was accepted. Coach Hefner has been awesome and the boys have been great.”

And for one young fan – Mady Hodge – Emma is a role model.

“After practice one day, a man stopped me and said they wanted to talk to me,” Emma recalled. “That’s when I met Mady, who plays on the sixth grade JFL team. She wanted to tell me I was her favorite player.”

Emma plans to continue playing on the team through high school. She hopes to play on the varsity squad. She also hopes other girls will consider going out, but isn’t optimistic that will happen.

 “This is the best time I’ve ever had,” she said. “I used to go to the games as a freshman, but now I actually care. Compared to sitting in the stands, it’s great being on the sidelines during the game and being part of a team. Plus, we win a lot and that’s great, too.”

"It takes a lot of courage to do what she's doing," Coach Hefner added. "Walking in the gym to lift or walking on the field with 50-some boys and you're the only girl? It says a lot about her and her commitment level. I'm proud of her."

And her mother, even though still apprehensive, is glad her daughter is on the team.

“She’s always been head-strong,” Jamie noted. “If Emma has her mind made up about something, there’s nothing you’re going to do to keep her from doing it. She is one stubborn girl.

“After the first game at Breese, she told me this was the best experience of her life,” Jamie added. “Now when the team wins, that’s all that’s important to her. Those are her brothers on that team.”