TUCSON, Ariz. — Thousands of boys and girls travel to participate in the Fort Lowell Shootout each year.
“The kids are actually jumping around in the parking lot super excited to play," RSL Tucson Girls Head Coach Alexis Smith said.
Smith has been coming to the Fort Lowell Shootout since it first started.
“I got teased a lot because I was usually the only girl," Smith said. "But you have to just keep playing, show them what you got and put them on their rear ends if you need to.”
Now, Smith coaches her daughter on an all girls team.
“It’s great," Smith's daughter, Aislinn Ball said. "I get to just play... with no boys.”
Aislinn played with boys for two years, but playing with them seemed too easy for her.
“I know I’m better than boys," Aislinn said.
Now heading into this tournament, Aislinn and her teammates get to play on the big stage.
“This is a great opportunity for the girls to play with other girls and have the competition," Smith said.
“I like playing soccer because it makes me feel happy like I get to do a sport that I want to do, Aislinn's teammate, Piper Peruche said.
With the tournament ready to kick off, the RSL Tucson girls have one thing left to say.
“We love soccer," Aislinn and Piper said.
——
Erin Patterson is a reporter for KGUN 9. She's agraduate of the University of Alabama with a Bachelor’s in News Media with a Sports Concentration. Erin recently obtained her Master's Degree in Sports Journalism from Arizona State University at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, where she gained experience a sports reporter, anchor and producer. Share your story ideas and important issues with Erin by emailing erin.patterson@kgun9.com.
----
STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
- Download our free app for Roku, FireTV, AppleTV, Alexa, and mobile devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Twitter
