‘A dream come true:’ Girl who became a local football star meets the Jags

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The first girl to score a touchdown in Arlington Youth Football Association history came to Jaguars’ training camp with her entire team.

“She’s the heart and soul of this team,” said Coach JJ, head coach for the Arlington Youth Football Association.

“I’m feeling like so excited, happy,” Keilani Contreras, 11, said with a smile. “This is like a big, big dream come true for me.”

In March, Action News Jax told you about Contreras, the first girl ever to score a touchdown in the history of the Arlington Youth Football Association.

PREVIOUS STORY: Jacksonville girl, 11, becomes first girl to score a TD in Arlington’s boys football association

“Nothing else could stop me then,” Contreras told us.

That drive caught the attention of Jaguars Head Coach Urban Meyer, who invited her and her entire team to training camp on Wednesday to see their favorite players in person.

PREVIOUS STORY: Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer congratulates girl on first touchdown, offers VIP training camp experience

Though NFL safety protocols didn’t let the kids come down to the field, the players still hyped them up from below, and players like Trevor Lawrence and Tim Tebow tossed them each a signed football.

“What are you hoping your kids will learn from this?” Action News Jax reporter Jessica Barreto asked Coach JJ. “That doing what they were doing will get them out here,” he replied, pointing to the field.

Contreras is confident she’ll be out there soon.

“I wanna take it pretty far, as far as I can because I wanna tell other girls and inspire other girls that they can play football too,” she said.

But before she gets back to work, she and her team will be cherishing this unforgettable day.

“I think I’m going to remember it for a very, very long time,” Contreras opined.

“Those kids — this is an experience of a lifetime,” Coach JJ added.

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