With two daughters, Holly Cosner never thought she would be a football mom.
But she and husband Charles got a surprise this fall when their eldest daughter Elena decided to try out for the Dolores High School football team.
“I was all about it,” said Holly. “I’ve told my kids that they can do whatever they want. That’s what my parents told me, so I couldn’t say no.”
“She told me she was going to go out on Monday and tryout,” explained Charles. “And then she said, ‘Dad, I get my jersey on Wednesday.”
Cosner, a sophomore at Dolores, said she’s played soccer since she was three. So when she was watching a Dolores football practice at the beginning of the season and began chatting with head coach Chris Trusler, the subject of kicking arose.
“Anytime I see a soccer player, we say ‘Hey, come out and kick,’” he said. “If they’ve been doing it for many, many years, well let’s transition them into a kicker for the football program.”
Trusler and the Dolores coaching staff have been working with Cosner on making that transition. And she’s also putting in time with long-time Dove Creek coach and Colorado Coaches Hall of Famer Ken Soper.
Cosner’s first point after attempt came up short in the Bears’ 24-14 win over Shiprock earlier this season. And she didn’t get the chance to kick on her second attempt after a botched snap – although the Bears were able to turn the play into a successful 2-point conversion.
But last Friday during the Bears’ homecoming – in which Cosner was part of the royalty – she put two PATs through the uprights and finished 2 for 4.
“I was on cloud nine,” she said. “It was crazy, it just went in so perfect. I just imagined it in my head and it worked.”
Cosner has become a fan favorite when she trots out in her number 18 jersey to kick after a Bears’ touchdown. But she said she was unaware of the celebration in the bleachers after making her first PAT on homecoming night.
“I couldn’t hear anyone because I was screaming myself,” she said laughing.
Charles and Holly have gotten to watch their daughter Elena and the Dolores Bears get off to a 3-1 record to start the season. And Elena intends to play football for the Bears for her junior and season seasons as well.
Elena will graduate in 2019, but with sister Olivia showing interest in football, perhaps Charles and Holly will be rooting for another family football player in the future.
“She thinks it’s pretty cool, so she says she’d like to kick,” Holly said smiling. “But she’s in seventh grade – so we’ll just focus on Elena right now.”
