As the family tells it, Julia has wanted to play football for pretty much her entire life. She and her dad bonded over cheering on the Panthers on Sundays. “My sister’s not very athletic and doesn't really like to watch sports, [but] my dad always liked to have someone to sit down with and watch games with,” Julia said. “I've always been a big fan.” But Rob and Susan, who worried about concussions and other injuries, deemed it too dangerous. After much lobbying from Julia (and her guy friends, who were sorely in need of a new kicker for the upcoming season), they agreed to let her go out for the team her senior year. Coach Miller was open to the addition, as long as she was serious: “ I let her know from the very beginning that nothing is given on this team, everything’s earned. And we’re not doing a publicity stunt. I asked her how genuine she was and did she really want to kick?” That summer video from the field demonstrated to him that she was and she did.