Santee Student To Compete In NFL Competition​

SANTEE, CA – A Santee middle schooler is competing in the National Football League’s Punt, Pass and Kick competition.

Natalie Sims, an eighth grader at Pepper Drive School, qualified in the top of her age division (12‐13 year‐old girls) for the NFL Punt, Pass and Kick competition, which reaches children ages 6-15 and enables them to learn football fundamentals in an engaging and supportive non-contact environment.

Sixth- through eighth-grade students at Pepper Drive School competed in the school-level competition in late November and early December. Sims’ scores qualified her for a trip to Florida that will include the National Championship Competition for Punt, Pass and Kick on Jan. 27, as well as a trip to Disney’s Magic Kingdom on Jan. 28 and tickets to the Pro Bowl on Jan. 29.

Nationally, the top four students in each age division are invited to compete in Florida.

According to the Santee School District, Sims is a hard-working student with a 4.0 grade point average. She is also a softball player with Factory Santee.

District officials said she plans to play softball in college and hopes to have a career in coaching.

"She strives for personal excellence and attends an extracurricular Algebra course to prepare for high school," district officials said in a press release. "Highly respected by her teachers, peers and staff, Sims is seen as a role model for students who are working to balance both physical activity and academic prowess."

Photo courtesy of Santee School District