There’s a lot of bad about the internet but you can’t dispute that it has also provided many people with opportunities that they probably wouldn’t have received otherwise.
Case in point, Jonee Villanueva. The former LCM softball standout was videoed chunking a football almost 50 yards. The video went viral and caught the attention of the coaching staff of the Austin Sound. She was invited to try out and has been loving the experience ever since.
The Sound is one of eight teams of women that play football in what is called the X League. They began their season last week and beat the Los Angeles Black Storm 50-19.
Villanueva, 22, is a back up quarterback, but got to see some playing time. “My first experience was amazing,” she said, “It felt good to see all of our hard work pay off. That was my first time seeing a defense blitz me 100% so it was different but I’m good at adjusting. That’s the pressure I’ve been waiting to see.”
Her coached called her the “future of the franchise.” Villanueva responded, “I’d love the opportunity to lead my team but I still have a lot of learning to do as far as learning the right plays to run based off what the defense is showing me. I think learning is my favorite part of the game though so it kinda works out perfect for me.”
The X League is a 7-on-7 full contact that plays on a 70 yard field. The league has raised 30 million dollars and is backed by Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka, who is an owner and chairman.
The Sounds next game is July 9 when they travel to Georgia to play the Atlanta Empire.
-Gary Stelly, KOGT-
Social Media