Just one of the guys

By Staff
Brewer's Hannah Chunn plays on boy's soccer team
Charles Prince, Hartselle Enquirer
The Morgan County's 14-and-under boy's soccer team was preparing for the Alabama Sports Festival when Jarod Giers suffered a broken collarbone. The team needed a replacement, and head coach Joel Sowder had an idea how to fill the void. His plan? Turn to Hannah Chunn.
Chunn, who will be entering the eighth grade this fall, was a member of the Brewer varsity Lady Patriots last season. Sowder felt she could play with the boys, but Chunn had her doubts.
"I was excited and sort of nervous when he asked me," Chunn said. "I didn't know if I could do it, so I asked his wife Sandra. She told me that she thought I could play with the boys, so I decided to join the team."
Chunn's decision turned out to be a good one. Chunn assisted on two goals during the three games the team played at
the festival, helping to bring the gold medal to Morgan County (See the team photo on page B-2).
"It was really fun, I loved every minute of it," Chunn said. "Being on the gold medal team was great."
Chunn learned the difference between playing with boys and playing on a girl's team.
"The guys are more aggressive," Chunn said. "But that's OK with me, because it's my style of play-I like to play rough."
Chunn says the team treated her well from day one.
"The treated me great," Chunn said. "I was like one of the guys to them. They treated me like a brother."
Chunn played with her two older sisters, Ashton and Morgan, this past season on the Lady Patriot varsity team at Brewer.
Ashton and Morgan have both since graduated.
"Ashton would be in goal and yelling at me what to do," Chunn said. "And Morgan would be on the other side yelling what I should do. It was frustrating in a way, but it was fun to play with my sisters."
Chunn will play one more tournament with the boy's team at the Clash of Champions in Birmingham July 10-11.
The Clash features the gold, silver and bronze medal winning teams at the sports festivals from three states, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.
Should she be invited to play with another boy's team after the Clash, Chunn says she would say yes.
"I like playing with both boys and girls," Chunn said. "I hope to go back to the sports festival next year. I'll probably play on a girls team this time, but I'd play on a boys team again if they asked me."