“She definitely works hard,” he said. “She’s probably one of the hardest working players on the team.” Beard said he and his staff are open to accepting more girls to the team. But for now, Mattson is a unicorn in uniform among much larger gridiron bruisers. DSHS freshman Defensive Coordinator Daniel Wehle called Mattson “a phenomenal human being.” He praised her as “being the definition of coachable,” and cited her “determination on the football field.” “I had the pleasure of coaching her this school year as the frosh defensive coordinator and defensive back coach at Desert Sunrise High School,” Wehle said. “She already has perfect attendance so far at our spring ball practices, which doesn’t surprise me.” Wehle said last season Hailey started most of the year on special teams, and then as a safety against Arizona Christian Prep, tallying six tackles. “She was nominated as one of our three captains for that game as well,” he said. “I can see her improvement already since last season as far as speed, agility, catching and knowing where to be on the field, and in coverage.” Drowning out the doubters Mattson said she dreams of becoming a sports broadcaster, and part of her love of playing football is to know the game
“They’ve all pledged support in any way they can,” he said. Excitement at the prospect of a better Golden Hawks football team is contagious among the 2-year-old high school’s football boosters. Said booster club board member Kellie Droste: “We are super excited for big changes in our program and for our upcoming season to get started.” Unicorn in uniform Hailey Mattson may be lithe in stature, but she’s fierce in spirit. Mattson is a 110-pound rising sophomore girl competing on a team of burly boys bashing helmets for the Golden Hawks. As one might expect of a student with a 4.0 grade point average — “the only one on the entire team,” she proudly proclaimed — Mattson looks at football through a scholarly prism. Her drive is to perfect her tackling skills. “Last season I tackled one of our running backs,” said Hailey, who is finding her place on defense as a Golden Hawks free safety. “He was one of the biggest guys on my team. I did not shy away, however; some of my teammates did.” Her head coach, Beard, attested to Mattson’s unbridled tenacity on the field.
from the inside out. On Friday nights, she volunteers as a referee for Maricopa Super Elite Flag Football. “I am firm and stick to my calls because after playing flag football for five seasons, I know the rules very well,” she said. She also pitches and plays third base for the Golden Hawks softball squad. “I wanted to play some kind of sport during off-season, so I thought I’d give softball a try again,” she said. “I absolutely loved it.” She was the starting pitcher for seven of 12 games last season. As an eighth grader at Heritage Academy in Maricopa, Hailey played on the junior high tackle football team. She started her athletic career in Heritage’s Powder Puff flag– football tournament, an all-girl rivalry between classes. She shrugged off any doubters she faced in past boys’ football seasons. “They think I can’t do it because I’m a girl,” Hailey said. “But I show them I can do it.” Her mother, Deidre Mattson, is unsurprisingly her daughter’s biggest fan. I am so proud of Hailey and everything she has accomplished,” she said. “She is self-motivated and her drive to always try her best is amazing.”
She already has perfect attendance so far at our spring ball practices, which doesn’t surprise me.” STEVEN BEARD, HEAD COACH
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July 2024 | InMaricopa.com
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