By Tatum Northington
Elmore/Autauga News
Prattville Junior High School has added a new addition to their 8th grade football team. Hartley McCay, 13, is serving as the team’s kicker.
This is her first year to play football and she is slated to start for kickoffs, PATs, and field goals. While a superb athlete in her own right within soccer and basketball, Hartley’s plans were to always play football. What may have started off as a joke between a 5 year old and a head coach, has turned out to be reality.
Athletic Director and Head Coach Donny Burnett told the EAN he met Hartley “About eight years ago, when her older brother was on the archery team at PJHS. I was friends with her mom and knew she was an athlete by keeping up with her Facebook posts. I always told her when she got to PJHS she could kick for me.”
When Hartley arrived at the Junior High as a 7th grader she stuck to soccer but added basketball, which was the first time she ever played on a team. Hartley ended up starting for Burnett as a 7th grader and was the third leading scorer on the team. So, naturally, Hartley told Burnett she was going to play football and showed up for spring training and summer workouts. She also attended all workouts for soccer and basketball. “She earned her spot on this team,” Burnett says.
You could say that Hartley was born to be around sports. Her mother, Heather McCay, explained “We love football in our family and (Hartley’s) first word was literally ball. I wasted so much money on dolls and makeup when the child is just happy with a ball in her hand, so we are not surprised at all that she chose to go out for the football team.”
Hartley just loves football and told us it is her favorite sport to play.
“If I had to choose it would be football, soccer, and then basketball,” she said.
When the EAN talked about her being the only girl on the team Hartley said her teammates and classmates have all been supportive.
“The guys treat me like one of them and I know they have my back. All my friends wear my number on their faces on gameday and everyone has been really supportive.”
She said it doesn’t bother her being the only girl because she lifts weights, runs drills and goes through team punishments and triumphs, as a part of the team, with no special treatment. Burnett said “The boys couldn’t care less if she is a girl or an alien, and I sure don’t care. I’m just glad I’ve got a kicker we can depend on.”
He made sure Hartley had accommodations for dressing out and being prepared, but he coaches her, and maybe even yells at her, just like any other player on the team.
Hartley doesn’t care about if she’s the first, she is just happy to be out there making the extra points and putting the ball where she’s asked on kickoffs.
Heather McCay said “You just want your kids to be happy, so it was kind of hard to say no to her playing, when all of the coaches as well as her teammates have been so supportive! My kid is living her dream out there on that football field. I do have to laugh though, because this all started as a joke with Hartley and Coach B and now it’s our real life. We just love him and it warms my heart to see him happy, too!”
If Hartley had her way, she says she would be out there “tackling and blocking” on top of kicking, but right now she is to run off the field after she kicks. Burnett said he “promised Mom and her soccer coach there wouldn’t be too much contact” as she is learning the sport and what to do. It seems that Hartley is getting pretty good at her craft. According to her stats, Hartley is solid from about 34 yards and getting better each week.
The team is currently 1-0 on the season, beating Valley last week 21-6. Tonight they take on Phenix City at home. 7th grade plays at 5 p.m. while 8th grade will start around 6:30 p.m. You can purchase your tickets from GoFan with gates opening at 4:30 p.m.. Be sure to wear your black, as tonight’s theme is “Blackout!”
Talking about the future, Burnett and McCay say this may be one and done, but they know to never say “never” when it comes to Hartley. If you ask Hartley, she wants to continue to play in 9th Grade and then Varsity, and end up being the placekicker for Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss.
“My mom and dad went to Ole Miss and my dad played football there. I have grown up loving Ole Miss and I want to be their kicker.” There is no dream too big for Hartley, as she is tearing down barriers everywhere she goes.
