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Silly boys. Girls can play football too. Nikkita Buzan played with the boys’ varsity football team and was voted Homecoming Attendant in 2015.
Karen Young | SMHS
San Manuel Miner
San Manuel junior Nikkita Buzan recently completed her first season as a member of the Miners’ football team, competing in a sport played predominantly play by boys.
“I enjoyed being able to go out there and prove that girls can do what guys do,” Buzan told the San Manuel Miner.
Feeling the need to increase her conditioning to compete in other sports, Buzan decided she’d rather play football than volleyball.
“I thought if I played more sports it would be better for me,” she said. “I’m not really into volleyball, so I thought I’d play football because I need more upper body strength for softball.”
So she followed in the footsteps of her older sister Samantha Gonzales, who also played for the Miners’ football team. Buzan, who played defensive tackle for the Miners’ this season, said her sister advised her playing on the football team would get harder before it would get easier.
Her sister was right.
Buzan said she experienced a rough start and found difficulty completing the conditioning at the beginning of the season, but was determined to improve and wasn’t ashamed. Her male teammates provided the support she needed to persevere.
“I really enjoyed it because I felt our team was a family,” she said. “We didn’t just go on the field to play a game; we went to support each other and it was great.”
As the season went on, Buzan’s stamina increased and she was able to more easily finish the conditioning that gave her trouble earlier in the season.
Buzan admitted participating in football provided her more than she ever expected.
She was asked what advice she’d give younger girls who may view her as a role model.
“Don’t ever let medical problems stop you from what you want to do,” answered Buzan, who suffers from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and a form of optical cancer.
Buzan says she plans to play on the football team again next season.
Indeed, anything boys can do, girls can do.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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