Dimeglio is the backup quarterback at South Plantation (Fla.) High. She earned the job fair and square, after being encouraged to try out by her coach, South Plantation football and girls flag football coach Doug Gatewood. And the coach asked her to play because he had seen how well she threw the ball as the star quarterback of the flag football team.She's there to try to maximize her chance of getting a (non-football) athletic scholarship. They're going to try to minimize her chances of being hit. Don't know if they will succeed.In fact, that's where the entire idea started out. As reported by the Miami Herald, Gatewood encouraged Dimeglio to go through spring workouts and the 7-on-7 passing drills with the boys football team as a way to hone her passing skills for flag football in spring 2013. It turns out that she was so good, the boys football team decided it could use her, too.
Her arm may not be quite as strong as some other passers in the area, but she's outstandingly accurate and showed that she had poise under pressure during the 7-on-7 summer circuit.
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Gatewood has promised Dimeglio's parents that he will try and minimize the amount of time she spends in games where the outcome is still in doubt as a way to try and decrease the threat of contact.
“... She’s there to try to maximize her chance of getting an athletic scholarship. They’re going to try to minimize her chances of being hit”
Well, that is so special. I wonder if they will allow other NON FOOTBAll playing people on the team? If they are minimizing her chances of being hit than she is for show. She isn’t getting equal treatment... it is special treatment. No different than if they allowed a cheerleader to suit up so she can get a scholarship for cheerleading.
Her school is a big school. It's not as if South Plantation HS is a small 1A school that has a hard time getting enough players to put together a team. I have no problem with her playing as long as she receives no preferential treatment on the practice/playing field. I just think that when it comes to the contact drills, if her team has D1/D2 caliber players, she will start looking for a different sport to play after a few drills.
Yes QB's and kickers don't get the amount of routine contact the other positions get but they have to get some in order to know how to take a hit, safely block and safely tackle the MLB that just intercepted her pass.
In a high school game, Jack Tatum knocked out the starting QB and backup QB. What will the coaches do with her as #3QB if something similar happens?