Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1037744
OCTOBER 10-16, 2018 UCW 29 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Napoli chases dream of breaking football gender barrier by EARL VAUGHAN JR. Julia Napoli isn't the type to back down from challenges, especially when told she can't do something. Her mother, Jen, remembers a time in fourth grade when she wrote a paper about football and why it's usually off limits for girls. "Everybody would say girls can't do that because they're not strong enough or fast enough,'' Jen Napoli said. "She still has the paper, which is funny.'' Julia's also got the will to beat the odds, and she's doing it so far as she recently made the football team at Gray's Creek Middle School, the first girl in school history to do that. By the time this issue prints, Napoli and her Bruin teammates will have played their first game of the season at Douglas Byrd Middle School. Napoli is no stranger to the world of competitive sports. Growing up, she took part in soccer for some years and later switched to gymnastics. But after going as far as she felt she could with gymnastics, she turned her attention to playing football at Gray's Creek. When Gray's Creek coach Dante Murphy met Napoli at the school's open house this year, he had no reservations about letting her try out for the team. "She's an outstanding athlete,'' Murphy said of Napoli, who's about 5-foot-3 inches tall and weighs around 120 pounds. "I told her from the beginning they're going to treat you just like a football player, no less, no different.'' Murphy said her teammates have accepted her with no reservations. "I've got a great group of kids,'' he said. Napoli is playing wide receiver and defensive back for the Bruins and is also competing on special teams. Murphy said she's not a starter at this point and that time will tell what kind of role she plays on the team. While not wanting to dis- courage her daughter from pursuing her dreams, Jen admitted it wouldn't be the truth if she said she wasn't concerned about injury. "We bought her some extra pads and a padded shirt that will protect her ribs, kidneys and spine,'' her mother said. "It's stuff she can legally wear that's not issued by the team.'' Jen said there's a fine line between standing in the way of Julia's ambition and keep- ing her safe pursuing it. "I don't want to shelter her so she doesn't take a chance and never knows if she could have made it,'' Jen said. Jen said she wants her child to win, but at the very least, she wants her to have fun with what- ever she does. Like her mom, Julia knows there's a chance she could get hurt, but she's not focused on that. "I just pray,'' she said. "I like playing wide receiver because you get to run and you get to beat some- body to the ball. It's all about who gets to the ball first and being able to run.'' As for the chance to play defensive back, she looks forward to tackling someone "for another brother,'' she said. "I take pride that it's your team, it's your brotherhood and you're together forever.'' In a perfect world, Julia said she already knows what she'd like to see happen in her first game. "A touchdown,'' she said. "A touchdown. Or an interception.'' Whatever happens, she's finally living her dream by just being on the field. Julia Napoli Taylor Melvin Cape Fear • Volleyball • Junior Melvin has a 4.25 weight- ed grade point average. She's a three-year starter in volleyball, was twice all-conference and was a manager of the junior varsity volleyball team. She's a member of Health Occupations Students of America and Fear Factor. She volunteers with the Cumberland County Parks and Recreation Department's Buddy Sports program. Ben Elliott Cape Fear • Soccer • Senior Elliott has a weighted grade point average of 4.46. In addition to playing soccer, he's a member of Science Academy and Key Club. He founded the Cape Fear Creative Writing Club. He has been on the varsity soccer team four years, making all- conference three times and all-region twice. Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop congratulates these amazing scholar athletes of the week and invites them to the Rocket Fizz Store at 1916 Skibo Rd. to receive a FREE gift recognizing their achievement! www.rocketfizz.com PRESENT OUR WEEKLY LINE UP CAPE FEAR HIGH SCHOOL COACH'S SHOW 7-8pm @ 301 Wingz, 407 Eastern Blvd Airing on WCLN 105.7FM Bill Boyette w/ Coach Jacob Thomas TERRY SANFORD HIGH SCHOOL COACH'S SHOW 8-9pm @ Sammio's, 2623 Raeford Rd Airing on WFNC AM640 Trey Edge w/ Coach Bruce McClellan MONDAY 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 FRIDAY 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 WEDNESDAY October 12th Coaches Corner Airing on105.7FM/WFNC AM640 all starting @ 6:00pm Followed by LIVE to The Fields @ 7:00pm Cape Fear HS @ South View HS on 105.7FM Kick off @ 7:30pm Terry Sanford HS @ Westover HS on AM640 Kick off @ 7:30pm Ending with Postgame Scoreboard w/ Sonny Jones 6-8pm