College football fans have questioned the sport’s integrity after Sarah Fuller, the first woman to appear in a Power 5 game, won Special Teams Player of the Week and powerful support despite appearing in only one play in the game.
Fuller, who usually plays in goal for Vanderbilt University’s soccer team, crossed codes at the weekend to become the first player to appear in a Power 5 game when she was briefly called to the field during the second half of Saturday’s game with the University of Missouri – and was rewarded with the Special Teams Player of the Week award.
Some supporters have called the move little more than a publicity stunt after Fuller was handed the honor for what amounted to just a few seconds on the field.
The 21-year-old Texan was drafted in to the squad to cover kicking duties after the team’s regular starter was forced to miss the game as a result of testing positive for Covid-19.
Despite being routed 41-0, the team hailed their own coronavirus-enforced version of affirmative action.
“Sarah Fuller. Remember the name,” the college tweeted after their heavy defeat, with Fuller saying that she was “very excited to step out on the field and do my thing.
“I represent the little girls out there who wanted to do this or have thought about playing football or any sport, really,” she added.
Some fans weren’t quite as quick to hail the achievement, suggesting that the move was effectively little more than a feelgood headline.
They were particularly perplexed by Fuller inexplicably receiving the weekly award for her sole contribution to the game, a 30-yard kickoff.
HISTORY MADE ?@VandyFootball’s Sarah Fuller is the first woman in college football history to play in a Power 5 game. pic.twitter.com/zhSaLqa3Bg
#SECFB Special Teams Player of the Week: @SarahFuller_27 Full release » https://t.co/MHPZDmcYSR. pic.twitter.com/ffEkocH5HT
Even though she is a D1 soccer player, this legit looks like a make a wish sponsor. Very sad what the SEC has become. She had one shit kickoff and now gets the Southeastern Conference special teams player of the week? Give me a break. I bet she even feels weird getting this
While legions of college football fans welcomed Fuller’s involvement in the sport and recognized the significance of her achievement, many also questioned whether her sole contribution, touching the ball once, was enough to outshine other candidates for the award.
“I’m great with a female kicker. I don’t care either way especially if she is better than the boys,” wrote one of the skeptics to argue that the award was an insult to other players who had achieved more without receiving credit.
“But ‘equality’ means ‘equal’ and a girl who executed a kick off is not deserving of Special Teams Player of the Week.
“Imagine being a guy that actually had a career week and not getting the award because she does.”
Despite her rookie status, Fuller was also invited into the locker room at half-time to give a speech.
I mean man or woman, what gives a soccer player who’s been on the team 3 days the RIGHT to stand up and call out players. Imagine being a senior in this locker room. What gives her the authority to do this? Especially a kicker?? Nah.. this ain’t it.
I’m all for her kicking, but this is absurd. Imagine a male walk on kicker of any sort showing up 7 games into the season, not even kicking yet, then lecturing the team about not cheering hard enough bc that’s what they did on his soccer team.
incase anyone was wondering what it is like to be a woman in sports pic.twitter.com/2pnsynFOXj
“I was a little p*ssed off at how everyone was on the sideline,” she explained to ESPN. “I just went in there and said exactly what I was thinking.
“I was like, ‘we need to be cheering each other on. This is how you win games – you get better by calling each other out for stuff and I’m going to call you guys out.
“I’ve been trying not to look at the comments but it’s hard not to see them sometimes when they’re talking cr*p about you.
“I’ll take on the hate. I don’t care. I am a D1 soccer player. I go to Vanderbilt University. I’m going to get my degree from here.
“I’ve done amazing things that I’ve set out to do and I’ve had goals of reaching, so they can talk crap all they want. This is something that I believe I’ve earned.”
Thank you, Sarah, for helping to prove that women and girls belong on every playing field—quite literally.? https://t.co/Ig33gePL08
Real and honest. Thank you Holly Rowe. https://t.co/pQbv9dNgOG
They had to call a special kick that kept the other team from returning it so that she wouldn’t get hurt. But yeah, let’s pretend she should be on the field.
Former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton thanked Fuller, telling her Twitter folllowing of almost 30 million that the player had “helped to prove that women and girls belong on every playing field – quite literally.”
A critic said: “No disrespect to her, but she didn’t deserve this.
“I’m sorry, but this is exactly why I’m against this…preferential treatment. Just let her play.
“If she is better than everyone else, then reward her. This is obvious pandering.”
Speaking a day before he was fired for abysmal results, Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason denied that the exercise was a public relations move.
This is so insulting. Women are wonderful in their own right. As are men. Women are not men. They do not have to be men. They do not have to compete w men. Men and women are different and that’s okay. My gosh, you people.
Vanderbilt lost the game 41-0. What was exactly proven with this stunt?
I showed my daughter who LOVES football and she wasn’t impressed. Once again, most qualified is always the best. Not identity politics.
“It was meant for her because that’s what she used to striking,” he told reporters in his post-game press conference.
“You know, really, we tried to go with the most natural kicks in her arsenal.
“I tried not to over-coach her, but let her do and understand what felt comfortable to her. And that’s really what we went with.
“I thought she punched it exactly where she needed to punch it. Ball’s down, 35-yard line. Let’s go.
“She’s been a trooper. She could have very easily said no in this. And instead, she prepared all week. She did what she was supposed to do. She was as prepared as anybody.”
