JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — While Fletcher and Kernan Middle Schools battled on the football field Tuesday night, the big focus of the game centered around Fletcher’s quarterback. She is inspiring everyone to chase their dreams.
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The local middle schooler is making history on the football field.
Her name is Gracianna Peck-Headley or Gi-Gi for short. She is the only girl on the Fletcher Middle School’s football team.
“We went to the Jags game a lot when I was younger and I always wanted to play with my brother and he played flag football up until high school and kind of just inspired me,” Peck-Headley said.
Gi-Gi was the starting quarterback for Tuesday night’s game against Kernan Middle School. Fletcher Middle School’s head coach, Matthew Bonar, was pleased at Gi-Gi’s effort tonight despite coming up short.
“What I do really appreciate about her is she stuck it out went in there and executed some of those plays moving forward,” Coach Bonar said.
Gi-Gi started playing flag football at the age of 7 with her family encouraging her every step of the way. Her biggest fan is her grandmother, Grace Peck.
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“I’m very proud of her,” Grace said. “She’s good at everything, she’s a good student, softball, football, flag football, basketball, she doesn’t stop.”
And to all the young girls at home who dream of playing football one day -- Gi-Gi has this advice:
“Go out for it. Don’t listen to others, do it for yourself. Just do it to make you happy, do what makes you, you basically.”
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