Sophomore Terri Martinez is one of those students who is super quiet, sits in class, doesn’t talk to many people, and just focuses on what she has to do. Never really in the spotlight.

However, in the summer of 2017, Martinez, influenced by her brother, began playing one of the roughest sports imaginable – rugby, all tiny five feet of her.

Her love for the game started when her brother’s friend invited her to a game.

“I saw a girl playing and thought it was fun,” Martinez said. “So, I wanted to try.”

Although it was complex at first, Martinez grew into the sport and learned to love it.

When I first started, it was complicated because of the rules involved,” Martinez said. “But after I learned it, it got easier.”

Rugby is known for his physical nature, one thing that Martinez loves about it.

“It lets me get my emotions out,” Martinez said. “When the pads it, it (the stress) all goes away.”

Luckily, she is supported by all the people around her.

“My dad always brags about it to everyone,” Martinez said. “He ends up telling the entire story. My friends call me crazy because it’s a rough sport and I’m little, and I’m a girl.”

Eventually, this love of rugby will continue after high school.

“I want to continue to play in high school and college,” Martinez said. “Hopefully, because there aren’t enough high school girls, we’ll start playing with the women’s team.”

One wouldn’t normally see a small, five-foot girl play a tough sport like rugby. However, Martinez does it with joy, love, and a smile.