A fitting supplement to the year-long celebration of Culver Girls Academy's 50^th anniversary the 2021 football season marked the first time in Culver Military Academy's 127- year history that a female team member assumed a role as an active player on the roster.
 
Never having played football before, CGA sophomore Kate Barry kicked the majority of the team's 2021 points-after-touchdowns, recording an impressive 27 conversions on 31 attempts including a perfect five-of-five in her debut against Crispus Attucks on Aug. 20.
 
CMA Football Head Coach Andy Dorrel took note of Barry's kicking abilities early in her freshman year.
 
"I noticed how she used solid technique and strength to clear the ball," he said. "It wasn't until later in the year when I ran into Kate's father at the soccer semi-state game that I asked if she had ever thought about kicking a football."
 
A soccer player since the age of three, Barry has spent much of her life pursuing her soccer career with the hopes of one day playing collegiately. As a CGA freshman, Barry was a member of the 2020 varsity soccer team that made an IHSAA Semi-State appearance, regularly contributing as a backline defender.
 
Football had never before been considered.
   
"I did not hear from Kate until late May [2021]," Dorrel added. "Over lunch we discussed the possible scenarios of her playing soccer and kicking for the football team, and there was mutual interest. I followed up that conversation with the then head CGA Soccer coach, Nate King, who agreed that Kate should pursue the opportunity."
 
At the time, from Kate's perspective, playing both sports in the same season was far from a done deal.
 
"Initially, I lacked the self-confidence to seriously consider it as a possibility," said Barry of her freshman mindset. "By the end of my first year at Culver, however, I had grown in confidence and ability enough that I felt I might be up to the challenge."
 
Dorrel connected Barry to a kicking coach, Filip Filipovich, who worked with her between school years near her hometown outside of Chicago, IL.
 
"Over the summer I had worked with my kicking coach in shorts and a t-shirt," said Barry. "At the start of the season when I initially put the five-pound football helmet on, I doubted whether or not I'd even be able to walk properly, much less kick."
 
With an increasing role and responsibilities to the CGA Soccer program, an increase in the workload on her legs and hips, and an already demanding Culver academic and leadership schedule, Barry did her best to prioritize and balance through the preseason.
 
"My first primary concern was balancing the athletic schedules with the academic rigor of Culver," said Barry. "Secondly, keeping my body healthy and preventing exhaustion and injury was a huge focus."
 
With doubts about the sustainability of the situation still lingering, the reality of the regular season for both sports closed in, as both programs opened play within 24 hours of one another.
 
It was that weekend Barry made the most of her opportunities and perhaps got the boost she needed to push past any uncertainty that remained.
 
"Friday night during my first football game, I went five-for-five. Then, 24 hours later, I managed to earn the CGA Soccer team its first goal of the season off of a freekick," Barry reflected. "From that point forward, with the help and support of my family, teammates, and coaches, the thought of quitting never crossed my mind."
 
In particular, CMA Football Volunteer Assistant Coach and former soccer and football crossover athlete John Meiser played an integral role in mentoring Barry throughout the season.
 
Barry's soccer season came to an end on Oct. 7 after a hard-fought battle against Plymouth in IHSAA sectional play. The team concluded the year 8-6-1 overall.  CMA Football's campaign concluded on October 29^th in the IHSAA sectional semi-final against New Prairie High School. The team ended its year 7-4 overall, including a thrilling, regular season come-from-behind 35-34 win over Hanover Central, a game in which Barry converted four PATs on four attempts.
 
"I am walking away from this experience feeling accomplished," Barry reflected. "My confidence in managing my academic and athletic endeavors has never been higher."
 
As for the fall of 2022: "If the Eagle Brothers want me back on the field, I'd love to put the uniform back on," she said.