KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — For Tennessee middle schooler Ayda Alewine, football started out as snack-filled evenings and late-night bonding with her dad. But as she grew older, so did her love for the game — evolving from casual fandom to full-contact passion.

What began as a simple childhood ritual turned into something much bigger. Ayda first dipped her toes into flag football, but by the seventh grade, she was ready for more. She joined the tackle football team at Austin-East Middle School — becoming the only girl on the roster.

“I really liked watching football with my dad because that means I get to stay up and eat snacks,” Ayda said. “But as I got older, I started to really enjoy it and pay attention to all the details.”

Her father, Mark Alewine, who once played middle school football him

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