ICYMI: Levittown Middle Schooler Honored as Game Changer

The Women’s Gridiron Foundation and the United States Women’s Football League have presented Salk Middle School seventh grader Gia Stamatelo with the 2017 National Game Changer Award.

The 5 foot, 2 inch seventh-grade football team running back and linebacker, who assisted in her team’s undefeated season, was nominated by the New York Sharks professional football team. The award recognizes Stamatelo for inspiring young girls to pursue their dreams with passion, self-respect and without fear.

“It makes me feel great that people see me this way,” Stamatelo said. “I feel women are as capable as a man to play football.”

The honor roll student has been playing football since she was five years old as a member of the Red Devils and Levittown Pride teams. She plans on trying out for the eighth grade middle school team next fall and eventually the junior varsity and varsity teams at MacArthur High School.

Stamatelo also plays baseball on the Long Island Devils boys team, girls basketball, lacrosse and girls volleyball. Her passion, however, is football, and her goal is to become a player on the New York Sharks.

Photo: Levittown School District