Just one of the guys.

Since her sophomore year, quarterback Emilee Buhl has just been one of the guys. As a senior, she now suits up and plays alongside the boys of the varsity football team on Friday nights. 

Next year she will continue to play the game she loves, but she will no longer be one of the guys. She will suit up and complete in NAIA flag football on a team of all female players. 

Buhl is continuing her education at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Kansas. The school is one of few colleges to offer the sport, but more schools 

With miles away from home and no Whataburger, she will pursue business as her major. 

“I chose to go to Kansas Wesleyan University because the coaches are amazing,” she said. “Their school is considered to be the top program in business, which is what I will be studying. It is also a small town like Willis, so I will feel like I’m at home just without a Whataburger.”

Head football coach Michael Wall states that Buhl is a hard worker and has been awesome since she has joined the program. 

“Emilee has been awesome in our program ever since she joined in,” Wall said. “She is such a hard worker, and fits in so well with our team. For a girl on the football team, she has been the absolute best I have seen in my 17 years of coaching.”

The adrenaline hits hard when the coaches let Buhl know she’s in. This is why she loves the game. Her teammates push her to work hard. 

“I love the game because of my teammates and how hard we work to get on the field,” Buhl said. “The adrenaline rush I get when the coach tells me ‘Emilee you’re going in’ is also another reason why I love the game so much. I look forward to having the best football season ever and continuing my dream and what I love in college.”

Her teammates express how proud they are of Buhl and how she’s the toughest girl. 

“I’m very proud of her and the fact that she got an offer before most of our football boys is beyond,” junior Tallas Harrison said. “I really wish her the best to come to. Emilee is a heck of a player and the toughest girl I know.”

Even though Buhl’s family is sad to see her leave, they are beyond proud of her. Buhl is inspired by her dad because of the amount of work he puts in everyday.

“My parents and family are so proud of me and excited to see me go to college for flag football, but it’s really sad that I will be about 10 hours aways from home,” she said. “My dad inspires me because he is so successful and has worked really hard to get where he is today. I definitely look up to him.”

Keep working and never giving up is the key to Buhl’s motivation. Positivity and blocking out the bad is what keeps her going. 

“Success and having people tell me to keep working hard and don’t ever give up is what motivates me everyday,” she said. “Just staying positive everyday and not letting anything get to me is what keeps me going.”

Buhl keeps in mind that once a person believes in herself, there is no stopping her. 

“The quote I live by is ‘Believe in yourself and you will be unstoppable.’ This is something that I keep in mind a lot because you have to believe in yourself and work harder than others before you can have success and once you get there, you will be unstoppable,” she said.