Hit like a Girl: Local high schooler Aubrey Carney excels at football, competitive dance
When Aubrey Carney heard that girls couldn’t play football, a fire burned inside her.
“I was told that girls and guys have two separate sports. That women can’t get into male sports, and men can’t get into female sports,” Carney explained to 614NOW. “I thought that wasn’t okay, and I decided to prove everyone wrong and show them that women can play male sports – and very physical male sports.”
Carney is in the midst of her first high school football season as a strong safety for the Junior Varsity team at Berne Union High School. After giving football a shot during her eighth grade year, the freshman went out for the JV team and secured a defensive position. Since joining the team, Carney has experienced a warm welcome.
“To be honest, it’s such a relieving environment,” she explained. “You’d think it would be awkward for a female to be in the room with all males. But they’re so welcoming.”
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“Once you make friends and bond with them, it’s a lot more comfortable,” she added.
When Carney isn’t out on the field, she is dancing competitively with the Charmion Performing Arts Center in Circleville. Carney takes three classes a week, including ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and a kickline class. During the dance season, she typically has 10 different routines to memorize as she and her team travel to multiple competitions annually – often gone the entire weekend. Even during the football off-season, Carney finds herself rushing off to the dance studio after an after-school lifting session for football.
Off the field or stage, you can also find Carney experimenting with various cooking and baking techniques. She also likes to flex her creative muscles, often writing, creating, and taking art classes.
“I love to do hair and makeup,” Carney said. “That is a huge part of my personality.”
“Overall I do really love football and dance combined,” said Carney. She has found that each sport presents different pressures, and she has taken strength and agility techniques from football that she now applies to her dance workouts.
“I do want to point out Tony Hurps, he is the director of football, and he is a huge influence on my life. He has helped me do a lot of things both in and outside of football,” Carney told 614NOW.
“Football teaches you so many things and it’s an eye opener, it honestly is. For people to sit there and think it’s nothing, or it’s a simple sport, is actually mind blowing because it’s the complete opposite.”
Carney is thankful to her parents, Amanda and Roger, for their constant support and encouragement when it comes to her football passion. Carney is also close with her dance director, who encourages her various interests and treats Carney like family. Carney’s week nights often consist of running back and forth from football practices to dance sessions, learning about discipline, expanding her comfort zone, and gathering life lessons.
“You see how hard these guys work and how you work as a team. Tony Hurps influences football and life, and at the end of every practice, he finds a quote from any sort of coach from football, to basketball, to track, and makes sure you know what they’re saying for sports and life to help you prepare for what life can be,” Carney explained.
“He realizes this is not just a sport, this is life. This is how hard life will be. He prepares us for that.”
This is part of 614Now.com’s weekly student athlete feature. Know of an extraordinary high school athlete on and off the field? Nominate them by emailing editor@614now.com
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