Noble Schools female football players at Pritzker College Prep, Jenille Morales and Brianna Mendez
Published On: February 2nd, 2022Categories: 2022, Pritzker College Prep, Students

“I feel like in this team, they just accept you. It doesn’t matter what gender you are; they don’t treat you any differently. It’s like we’re all just one team.”

Brianna Mendez is one of two female players on the Pritzker College Prep football team. This fall was her first season, where she mainly played as an offensive guard.

Her fellow teammate, Jenille Morales, also played as a guard. Jenille first joined the team three years ago, trailblazing the way for Brianna and any other girl who might want to play on the Pritzker team.

In the 2018-19 school year, only about 0.2% of high school football players in the U.S. identified as female. (Statista, marketing and consumer research company)

At Noble Schools this year, there were a total of four female players on football squads – Brianna and Jenille at Pritzker and Shannasia Cleaves and Le’Andria Hill at Johnson College Prep.

This year was also the start of the girls’ flag football teams at Gary Comer College Prep, Mansueto High School, and Chicago Bulls College Prep. Both the Bulls Prep and Comer teams made it to the quarterfinals in this year’s playoffs.

Jenille says her gender doesn’t stop her from succeeding at football team.

“I’m like a 5’5” female on the line — there’s people that are 6 foot, ya know? And I feel like that just says a lot about football and things that you can accomplish,” Jenille said.

Both Jenille and Brianna talked about how their teammates and coaches make them feel accepted, regardless of their gender.

“They’re really respectful when it comes to me being a female… I don’t feel any different from them. I feel like my own person. I feel like I matter here and I’m supposed to be here,” Jenille said.

“When I first got to be a guard, everyone was cheering on for the first time I went in the field… Everyone’s just cheering you on and no one is judging you,” Brianna said.

Hear more about their experience playing on the team and what their coach and teammates say about their time together in the video above.

BRIANNA MENDEZ: Hi my name is Brianna Mendez, I am a senior at Pritzker College Prep, and I identify as she/her. This is my first year playing on the football team

JENILLE MORALES: My name is Jenille Morales. I’m from Pritzker College Prep. I’ve been playing on the team for about 3 years now. My pronouns are she/her.


WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO PLAY FOOTBALL?

BRIANNA: I really wanted to experience the adrenaline from football because it looked very interesting to me when I was watching it from the sidelines, so it just really caught my attention. I am a left guard currently, which I think is great; I really like it. Honestly, I feel like it’s important to be a guard, and I really just like going in for people. It feels great. The adrenaline of just being in the front lines and being able to tackle people, and just going through the motions, gives me so much excitement that I just enjoy football so much.

JENILLE: What made me want to play football is, at the time, I was trying to find a place where I belonged, and I didn’t really know what that was. So, joining football was a big step for me cause I was a really shy person and I didn’t really know what strengths or things that I had. Once I joined, I really did find out that I did have strength as a person. Joining football really did make me a stronger person, emotionally and physically.


WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO JOIN THE TEAM?

BRIANNA: I feel like in this team, they just accept you. It doesn’t matter what gender you are; they don’t treat you any differently. It’s like we’re all just one team, and everything just feels nice. Everyone just bonds, no one judges you – it’s all good. When I first got to be a guard, everyone was cheering on for the first time I went in the field. Everyone started cheering on and I’m like: This feels nice, everyone’s just cheering you on and no one is judging you.

JENILLE: From the inside of the team – outside, looking in, it’s way different. People sort of point you out. They see that you’re a female, and they sort of ask questions, ya know: “Why is she doing this? Does she feel comfortable?” – And me being on the team is really different because my teammates don’t really make me feel singled out ever. So, they’re really respectful when it comes to me being a female, me being on the team, me participating. I don’t feel any different from them. I feel like my own person. I feel like I matter here and I’m supposed to be here.


DID YOU FACE ANY CHALLENGES COMING INTO A BOYS’ TEAM AS A GIRL?

BRIANNA: I know that girls do have a disadvantage to a certain point, but I feel like I’m doing the same work as other people. I don’t feel any different from them cause the coaches make us do the same exact thing. Even though I do have disadvantages sometimes, I feel like I’m doing the same work as them.

JENILLE: Personally, mentally, I feel like I do have to be stronger. But at the same time, I don’t because a lot of the stuff that people say to me doesn’t really matter. Because, at the end of the day, what this team is doing for me is way bigger than what other people judge me on or what other people say. So, at the end of the day, I just ignore it and I know that I have my brothers, my teammates, backing me, supporting who I am, and supporting me as their teammate.

IVAN ARGUETA, TEAMMATE: I really enjoy having them on the team – the way they always are eager to learn and also teach others. It also shows that women can do the same thing as men can.

ENRIQUE RIVERA, TEAMMATE: It brings versatility into the community, saying that it’s not only boys that can play football – it’s girls, too. It shows that they can handle what boys can handle.

IVAN: I mean, just playing alongside them is a great privilege.

COACH MIKE GINOCCHIO: Honestly, I don’t really know what’s the difference between male players and female players. Jenille and Bri have been part of the team since day one, and they’ve worked just as hard as anybody else who’s been part of the team for longer than them. And they’re inspirations. If I struggle or seem at a loss for words to describe, it’s honestly because I’ve never thought about it. And I think that speaks to who they are as people – they’re trailblazers, they’re inspirations to me.

 

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER GIRLS AND PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PLAY FOOTBALL BUT ARE NOT SURE IF THEY BELONG?

JENILLE: I feel like my advice doesn’t only go to other females that want to play football but to everybody in general. You know, in football, there’s so many different people – so many different sizes, whether you’re small, tall; whatever gender you may be. My message is you can do what makes you happy, do what makes you content with yourself. You should really be doing things for your soul and not society. Ya know, I’m like a 5’5” female on the line – and I feel like that really doesn’t – there’s people that are 6 foot, ya know? And I feel like that just says a lot about football and things that you can accomplish.

ENRIQUE: I would say go for it. Don’t be afraid. If you’re not good, it’s okay, everyone doesn’t start as a great player. Everyone has to build up their own talents. Like, for me, I never started good. It took me almost two years to become a real good player, in my opinion. So, just try it out, put in effort, don’t be scared.

IVAN: Yeah, I mean, I’m a true believer that women can do the same exact things as men can, and they always have a place on this team. Not only this team, but I think teams around the world that at least welcome them – then they should give it a shot. They should try new things and be proud to play football.

COACH GINOCCHIO: You do belong. I would say take the step to join because you’re going to have teammates who will welcome you. You’re going to have coaches who will welcome you. You have the toughness, you have the capacity to not just play but to succeed and excel at a sport. If Bri and Jenille can do it, you are capable of doing it, too. And it would be a privilege and a joy to coach future girls coming out and playing for the Pritzker football team.

BRIANNA: Honestly, if you want to do something, just do it. Once you’re in it, you don’t even really think about it when it’s happening. It just happens and you just feel right. If you feel right about it then you know it’s your calling. Once you’re there, I don’t think the team is really going to care. You’re going to feel like you’re at one with them. I just say go for it. You don’t have to be afraid about if you’re a different gender or just different from them. You just have to go and do it. You never know until you try.

____

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

We want to write the stories you want to read.

Take our short survey to let us know what you want to see on the Noble blog:

Follow us on social media for more updates about what’s happening on our campuses:

For information about enrolling at a Noble School or employment opportunities please, click below.

Noble Schools CEO Recognized for Leadership and Commitment to Equity
Parents, students, and staff from Baker College Prep, Butler College Prep, ITW David Speer Academy, Muchin College Prep, and Johnson College Prep talk about Noble Schools' return from winter break during omicron COVID surge“They’re here. They wanna be here.” — Noble’s Return to School Amid the Omicron Surge

Ensuring Positive and Equitable School Experiences for Noble Students Across Chicago

Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter!