Amber Lagatta has been playing with the boys since her elementary days. She grew up playing co-ed soccer, so when she had the opportunity to kick for the First Coast High School Football team, the thought of her being the only girl on the field didn’t bother her in the least.
“Normally they don’t even realize I am a girl until they see my pony tail after the fact,” Lagatta said. “I’ve actually got hit a few times this season, but I didn’t really see them coming at me, so it was kind of out of the blue.”
Lagatta’s opportunity to kick for the football team came fairly easy to her. Her primary sport is soccer. The kicking coach for the football team this season was the girls soccer coach last year. Being acquainted with the now kicking coach, Amber asked him if they were still looking for a kicker as he had mentioned they were in need prior to her reaching out. Although it took Lagatta some time to really hone in on her football kicking skills, she turned out to be a great fit for the Buccaneers football team.
Lagatta is required to do all the necessary training that any other player on the football team is required to do. She attends conditioning and weight training with the boys, and from talking to her, it seems that she has no problem getting the same intense training.
As tough as she is, Lagatta has no doubt that other girls can do the same if they so choose, and her choice to play football hasn’t gone unnoticed by other girls at her school.
“A lot of the girls have gotten a hold of me after the fact that I played, and they want to try out for the football team too,” Lagatta said. “So it feels good that they want to come out of their comfort zone because of me.”
Lagatta is certainly an asset to the football team, and she plans to continue to improve throughout her high school career for the team. However, her first love is soccer, and nothing can get in the way of her passion to get to the goal in soccer. Lagatta hopes to become a team captain for the soccer team once her junior season rolls around and to potentially earn a scholarship to play in college.
“My favorite part about soccer is working with my teammates, getting to the goal, and putting the ball into the back of the net,” Lagatta said. “My mom has asked me what I would do if I did end up getting a scholarship for football instead, and I don’t really know what I would do!”
Lagatta is without a doubt a motivated student-athlete, and she has a great support system to back her up.
“My mom and dad have been very supportive of me, as well as my aunt, who played college softball,” Lagatta said. “Also, my uncle just signed to play with the Colorado Rockies. Knowing that one of my family members made it to the pros gives me the confidence that it’s possible for me to do it too.”
No matter where high school and college take Lagatta, her ability to step out of her comfort zone and break the norm is certainly a characteristic that will set her up for an exciting and inspiring future.
In the Game Moment: “One of my biggest accomplishments was actually in a tournament two years ago. It was in a playoff game that would get us into the championship game, and we won 3-2. I scored the winning goal in the last four seconds.”
Fun Fact: Lagatta also sings. She has participated in chorus for five years now. However, group functions are definitely the setting she prefers to sing in. When asked if she would like to sing the national anthem at one of her games one day, Lagatta laughed and said, “I actually have stage fright!”
NF – First Coast High School Soccer – February 2017
Amber Lagatta
Written by: Sarah Turner
