Football player leaves a legacy for the girls at North High

Nakaiya Abdullah says huddles were intimidating, but now she's front and center for the pre-game rituals. Photo by Azhae’la Hanson

By Azhae’la Hanson, Reporter

As Nakaiya Abdullah ended her junior year in high school, she wanted to stamp her legacy on the community of North Minneapolis before she graduated. She became so underwhelmed by the lack of celebration of women in the community in sports that she began wondering how she stood out.

So she began her senior year by joining the North High football team.

“You don't hear a lot about women in the Northside, you always hear about the boys,” Abdullah said. “I want to leave a mark in my community, to let people know they can do something different.”

When there's speeches given in team huddles, she hears “boys boys boys, fellas fellas fellas.”

A player could be heard jokingly adding, “and Kaiya.”

She felt the challenge of being a girl on the football team. She learned legacy can be a lonely pursuit. She couldn’t suit up with the team, and would often resort to changing in her car, and she says it took a moment for people to acknowledge her as a team member.

She recalls being annoyed by locker room talk at first, but after a while, she would start to hear different comments as she came off the field. Players would approach Kaiya for handshakes and banter.

“You got this Kaiya, don’t give up,” shouted a player.

“Good job!” shouted another.

Abdullah engages in some friendly banter with a teammate on the sidelines during a practice. Photo by Azhae’la Hanson

A few comments came from Lamarcus Osborne, a varsity defensive lineman and longtime friend of Abdullah’s. “It takes a lot of courage,” Osborne said. “It’s cool to see her actually on the field with us.”

Football was always indirectly a part of her life. She grew up with a lot of the boys who are currently on the team, including Osborne. When she was younger, she would watch them play football along with her older brother at North Commons Park.

“I was always going to football practices and just watching them,” Abdullah said. “Since I was always there I thought, why not play?”

Some of the players she knows from the parkboard days have become friends in school and reliable teammates to help her navigate the game. She takes pointers from Osborne when she needs help on defense.

“It’s still strange at times, but I began to feel less weird because I proved to everyone that I was taking it seriously,” Abdullah said.

She attended every summer practice and always asked coaches for advice to get better.

Nakaiya’s brother, Jaheim, snapped some photos of his sister with their mother, Marilyn, during senior night. Photo by Azhae’la Hanson 

“Kaiya Is great. She's working hard. It's great to have her out here,” assistant Coach Josh Corrigan said. “I commend her, this sport is a male dominated sport and there's boys in high school that can't handle being here everyday. One of the hardest things to do in sport is being out there every day trying your best, and she does that. That's pretty powerful.”

As the season approached, Abdullah was nervous. She was comfortable with the Polar team, but worried she would be singled out once opposing teams found out she was a girl.

“I had to prepare myself for the reality that people might not take me seriously, or think they could run over me and think I’m weak because I’m a girl,” Abdullah said. “That thought makes me mad, it bugs me that that’s how people may think, I can take those feelings and push them through the sport.”

During her first game of the season. Abdullah was on the defensive line when she came head to head with an opposing player.

She entered the defensive line ready to play. She was met with points, whispers, and laughs from the opposing team.

“I laughed with them,” Abdullah said. “I love proving people wrong.”

The opposing team snapped the ball and Abdullah got her first tackle.

“I haven’t been tackled yet, she said proudly.

She was a regular contributor to the Polars C and JV squads. She celebrated her senior night in October. On the sidelines, a crowd of her teammates could be heard chanting her name as she entered the field. Her mother and brother arrived in custom t-shirts in support.

Her brother and former player, Jaheim Abdullah, says he remembered when Kaiya came to him with the idea of playing football.

“I encouraged her to get out there,” her brother said. “She's going to stand up for whatever she believes in, I hope she takes what she is doing and applies it to life and be that girl that does whatever she wants to do in life.”

Nakaiya, center, is on track to be the first girl to complete a full season on the North High team. Photo by Azhae’la Hanson 

“I was scared but Nakaiya has never been one to not do her own thing, she does that quite well actually,” Nakaiya’s mother, Marilyn Abdullah, said. “Nakaiya is always front and center and goes above and beyond. She was 4 years old and trying to direct the choir, she doesn't settle for less and always goes the extra mile. I’m proud of her.”

By completing the season Abdullah is indeed leaving a legacy of her own. Head Varsity coach Officer Chalres Adams said only two girls before Kiya have had the courage to join the football team since 2011. Abdullah however, is the first girl to ever finish the season.

She will carry out the rest of the year as student council president and upon graduation, she wants to go to college to pursue a career in the medical field.

“Like Nike, just do it,” she said with a laugh. “People are gonna tell you you're not able to do something. But you don't need anyone else's opinion to live your life because it's your life. So at the end of the day, do whatever it is that you want to do.”