Reeling back her leg and sending ball after ball high into the air, Kylie Mitchell would watch it arc towards the target. But as the ball sailed over the crossbar, her teammates wouldn't grumble; they'd cheer.
Many of Mitchell's exploits haven't come on the soccer field - she doubled as a varsity football kicker at Carman-Ainsworth High School in Michigan for three years.
During her career there, Mitchell scored just under 100 points and averaged 39.1 yards per kickoff her senior year.
That wasn't her only contribution on the field.
A onetime wide receiver herself, Mitchell once took down an opposing player on a crucial kickoff return, and it landed her on SportsCenter's Top Ten plays.
"There was just this huge hole up the middle and I was the only one back," Mitchell said of the play. "It was a close game and I didn't want him to get through, so I just got low, wrapped up his legs, drove through and tackled him."
A local news station ran footage of Mitchell's tackle. It made its way to an editor at ESPN who had formerly worked with the local station, and he passed it through.
"I got a call at about three in the morning from one of my teammates who was watching it," Mitchell said.
A four-year varsity soccer player in high school, Mitchell found that her experiences on the football field translated well to soccer.
"It helps a lot with intensity and competitiveness," Mitchell said. "It just teaches you the meaning of one game - that every game counts."
Quakers coach Darren Ambrose was aware of her football diversion during recruitment.
"It's admirable that she was able to participate on a football team as a girl," Ambrose said. "It has benefits because she saw how competitive it can be."
Mitchell said her teammates were always supportive, and Mitchell's father said she was the only girl the guys would let play flag football.
"I just played with them for so long," Mitchell said. "They knew I was there to win . I ran sprints with them and everything so I made sure I earned their respect."
Mitchell credits her interest in football to her father, with whom she would often play catch with while the family vacationed in Florida.
"She has a brother who's 12 years older than her that played football, so she was dragged to his games," her father, Joe Mitchell, added.
She played wide receiver and started kicking for the lightweight squad in junior high before moving up to kick at the varsity level.
And Carman-Ainsworth, which also sent 2007 graduates to Michigan State, Missouri and Eastern Michigan on football scholarships, seems to be missing Mitchell's contributions. In the Cavaliers' first game last weekend, they were 0-3 for extra point attempts.
Football kicker, soccer standout. What else does Mitchell have under her belt? A homecoming crown.
"She accepted the crown in her football jersey and pants," the elder Mitchell said. "And good thing she had her pants and cleats on - it was raining and the other girls were slipping in their heels."
