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SWFL girl on the sidelines with NCAA Football teams

Writer: Sylvie Sparks
Published: Updated:

Payton Gibbs was born to be on the sidelines.

“Ever since I was little, I loved football, loved the game, watched it every single Sunday and Saturday,” Gibbs said.

“We’ve had her as an infant, in a stroller,” Payton’s grandmother Joanne Roessner said.

Payton’s father PJ Gibbs coaches defense for Golden Gate High School and has coached football for more than 20 years.

His daughter, 12-year-old Payton, is always learning the game from her dad.

“Every night before the game my dad brings out the playbook and then I have to write it down so I get my school work done before that happens so that I can just be ready for the quiz or test tomorrow and then just then get football Friday night,” Gibbs said.

This season multiple Division I schools have invited her to be a guest coach at their games, because of her father’s industry connections.

Most recently she took the field with the UMass Minutemen.

“I got to meet all the players, got a signed football, got to be on the sideline for the whole game,” Gibbs said. “It was just an amazing experience.”

The young trailblazer isn’t stopping there, her family believes many more coaching opportunities are in her future.

“It has made a huge difference for her,” Roessner said. “It really helps her tremendously focus and concentrate and be able to communicate, which is a big part of learning, especially for children that are on the spectrum.”

In January she’s headed to Orlando to be a part of the Tropical Bowl.

Her message to young girls that are interested in sports is to keep following their dreams.

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