Hamilton a Hit as Drake's Female Footballer

remembers the first time she tackled a boy in a football game.

“I was on JV and we were playing San Rafael,” ’s 156-pound defensive lineman said of the 2009 season. “I was on kickoff cover. I hit the boy with the ball. Next thing I knew, we’re both on the ground. I didn’t know what happened.

“The varsity team had just gotten to the game because they were playing later that night. They all saw it. I just remember everyone was cheering.”

Hamilton, now a senior on the Drake varsity team, still hears that cheering everytime she hustles down the field on a kickoff. Yes, that’s correct: The Pirates have a girl contributing to their 4-2 season.

“She’s fearless,” Drake coach assessed. “Sometimes I have to keep her off the field, she’s dying to get in.

“It’s not often that you get a girl out for the team, but she’s been very dedicated. She has a great attitude. She understands her role and how she can help the team.”

Hamilton didn’t grow up as your stereotypical tomboy who threw footballs in the backyard with her dad or brother. In fact, she never even thought about taking up the game until she was in seventh grade; then never joined a team until enrolling at Drake.

Her one and only athletic endeavor growing up was riding horses, and she claims that has impacted her attitude about taking on boys sometimes twice her weight on the football field.

“Sure, anyone can get hurt,” she insisted. “I just feel my life is more at risk on a 1,200-pound horse.”

Hamilton, who also wrestles on the boys team at Drake, use to go to great lengths on the football field to disguise the fact she’s a girl. She tucked her hair into a skull cap and wore no makeup.

“I couldn’t hide it,” she noted. “When I took my helmet off, the skull cap came off and my hair came down. Then someone on the other team would say, ‘Oh my gosh, they gave a girl.’

“Now I don’t try to hide anything.”

Heck, she even wears pink cleats, although she insists it’s because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Hough says she’s just another member of the team.

“Teammates treat her with respect,” the coach claimed. “Everyone is happy she’s on the team.”

So is she. Hamilton truly appreciates getting the opportunity to contribute to a successful program.

“Every game I know I’m on kickoff cover and I’m very grateful for my playing time,” she said. “Some boys don’t play at all.”

Hamilton recalls once having a wrestling coach who was reluctant to pit her against boys. They got into an argument one day – “I was out of line,” she now admits – and the result was a greater acceptance as a member of the team.

Hough says he and his player have been on the same page from day one.

“When we do tackling drills in practice, she gets right in there,” the coach assured. “We had a situation in a camp where a player on another team was really being aggressive, almost to the point where there was a fight. I remember I said, ‘Alana, you go take this guy, go calm him down.’

“I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t think she could handle herself.”

If Hough has had any problems with Hamilton, it’s on the roster.

“We usually lie about the stats a little bit – maybe make people a little bigger, a taller on the roster,” he said. “With her, I didn’t know what to do.”

Hamilton wishes she were bigger. But at the same time, being lighter is an advantage in wrestling, and she’d like to compete at the 145-pound level this season.

She’s gotten pinned her fair share of times in wrestling, just as she’d gotten flatted a few times in football. Her reaction is always the same.

“I like football for the contact,” she said. “I think personally it’s fun to get laid out. Getting back up after a big hit … there’s nothing else like it.”

Chances are, that junior varsity kickoff returner from San Rafael probably doesn’t feel the same way.

Drake's next football game is this Saturday, Oct. 22, at home against Redwood. Freshmen play at 9:30 a.m., JV at 11:30 a.m., and Varsity at 2 p.m.