Playing on Aragon’s football team runs in sophomore running back Lola Unga’s family. Her oldest brother, Gustaf Unga, played for the Dons as a running back and junior Andrew Unga plays as a linebacker. Now, Unga is following her brothers’ footsteps and playing on the Aragon junior varsity football team.
“I started football because a lot of people were doubting me and telling me I couldn’t,” Unga said. “They were doubting my strength. I just started going because my brother introduced it to me during the summer so I decided, why not?”
Junior varsity football coach Steve Henderson was not surprised when Unga showed up to tryouts this season. Last year, Henderson played a different role in Unga’s life.
“I knew that she wanted to play because I had her as a freshman in Ethnic Studies,” Henderson said. “She did a piece of artwork that featured a football player in it and I thought she [was curious] about football. So I was happy when she came [to try out].”
Although many would consider breaking gender barriers in a male-dominated sport to be a great feat, it seems normal for Unga. Growing up, she played on an all-boys rugby team, and now, she plays at a high-level girls rugby team.
“The boys team that I played rugby with was all of my cousins,” Unga said. “[Playing] with a whole bunch of boys that … I don’t know as much makes it harder.”
Similar to how her brothers inspired her to try out for football, family is also the reason she started playing rugby.
“My brothers have played since they were eight and I’ve been playing since I was 10,” Unga said. “My uncle put the team together. He invited everybody to come and I wanted to try it.”
Henderson believes that her past rugby experience benefitted her football career.
“She has a lot of the skills,” Henderson said. “Rugby [has a very] similar-shaped ball to football and there’s [also] tackling involved.”
This season marks Unga’s first time playing football competitively. Her journey as the only girl on a traditionally all-boys sports team leaves Unga with many mental challenges.
“It’s been really hard because a lot of people expect me to go into a sport I have no idea about and know what I’m supposed to do,” Unga said. “It wasn’t only that, but when I first started getting comments from players on my own team … it made it harder for me to go back to practice. There was a time where I even stopped going to practice for a little bit because I was so nervous or [scared of] the comments I was going to continuously get [from people telling me I couldn’t do it].”
Unga struggles to overcome feelings of doubt that arise from both herself and others. Shutting down those who question her as a player is her main goal.
“Sometimes when I first tell [people that I play football], they doubt me and tell me I shouldn’t be playing this sport,” Unga said. “My goal is just to show everybody that I can do it and I’ll probably be good at it.”
She is not alone on her journey and receives unconditional support from those around her, especially from her older brothers.
“[My brother, Gustaf,] continues to push my [limits] and he knows what my strengths are,” Unga said. “Andrew … helps me because sometimes he tells me I can’t do it so [that makes me] push myself even more.”
Throughout the season, Unga has bonded with her teammates, but feels the pressure to live up to their high expectations.
“Nobody on my football team has made any comments anymore,” Unga said. “But I can see like sometimes they are side-eyeing me [and] the things I do.”
Unga has grown as a player on the team. She scored a touchdown against Saratoga (1-6 overall, 1-2 El Camino League) during the Dons’ junior varsity home game on Sept. 17, contributing to their 21-0 victory.
“I’m even happier now that she is developing,” Henderson said. “There’s a point where you have to commit and decide that you’re really going to make [football] something that you care about [and] … right now [Lola’s] at that point where she’s getting better and I’m excited for her.”
However, even with her success on the field, Unga doesn’t think football is in her future, especially with the discouraging comments she gets on and off the team as the only female player.
“I’m not playing football ever again,” Unga said. “This is my first and last [time], but it was fun. I think I got better [this season but] … it’s harder to see myself progressing.”
Until then, however, Unga will continue to play for the Dons. She has achieved what others told her she couldn’t and is proud of overcoming societal gender barriers to play the sport she wanted to play.
