Richwoods female kicker is 16% of the offense and 100% confident in her role

PEORIA — Richwoods has collected nine points from its kicker so far this season, 16% of the team's total points through four weeks.

And she's just a 5-foot-7, 120-pound sophomore.

Jasmine Bisping is part of a growing trend of girls playing varsity football in the Peoria area and, specifically, contributing as kickers.

Don't tell this daughter of a Marine that girls are not big enough, not strong enough, to play football. She was one of a few shining moments for the Knights in their one-sided loss last week to Notre Dame.

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"I just like to think nothing is impossible," said Bisping, 15. "More and more girls are earning spots on varsity football teams. If I couldn't do it, play football, I wouldn't be out on the field.

"I'm confident and I believe in myself."

The Knights believe in her, too. "She made the kicks, she earned the job," Richwoods coach James Ulrich said. "We know we can count on her."

So far, Bisping is 6-of-7 on PAT kicks, and she booted a 22-yard field goal in a 31-12 Week 2 win at Springfield Southeast. Her nine points have been generated in the last three games.

"My first varsity point was in the Springfield game," she said. "I was really nervous, but I kept my eyes on the block, only focused on that. It was exciting."

It looked routine in Week 4 when she sent a solid PAT through the uprights on her home field to cap off Richwoods' only scoring sequence against the Irish.

A multi-sport kid from California

Bisping was born in California, and is growing up in Peoria with her mother, Lydia, brother, Aiden, and father, Shannon.

Shannon Bisping spent nine years as a calibration technician in the United States Marines. He has been the assistant coach for the Richwoods wrestling team and is a talent acquisition and development executive for Caterpillar's Large Power Systems Division.

Her brother, Aiden, played football at Richwoods and now is a wrestler at Iowa State.

"I was a rough-houser as a little kid," Bisping said. "My competitive drive came from wrestling and battling with my dad and my brother running around in our backyard.

"When I decided to compete for a varsity football spot, my brother told me 'Work even when no one is watching. Never stop working hard.' And that's how I've approached it."

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And that advice has applied to soccer and track, as well. She has been a right side defender and a left side midfielder in soccer and will compete for a varsity roster spot this spring.

In track, she runs distances, including the 1600- and 3200-meter races and as part of the 4x800.

"Track is a chance to compete against some great athletes," Bisping said. "And I really love soccer. The game has stuck with me and I want to keep on playing it."

Not bad for a former quarterback.

"I started playing football around 6, been playing the game for a long time," Bisping said. "I went to a JFL summer camp and it started my whole journey.

"My 14-under coach said 'Hey, you can kick for us,' and that changed my entire path."

She is following in the path of other girls who have kicked in varsity programs, like Pekin kicker Mylee Hansen and Limestone kicker Emily Lindsay.

Canton, by the way, has a girl who plays on its offensive and defensive line, 5-foot-6, 160-pound Katelyn Marvel. Quest's 8-man football team has used a girl on its offensive and defensive lines, too, Ruweya Nurriddin.

What No. 41 is watching

Bisping wears No. 41 for Richwoods, and watching her it's hard to believe … "I've only been kicking for two years," she said, finishing the sentence. "I study kickers. I like to watch NFL kickers. It's not that I have a favorite one, I watch because I want to see how they handle situations, how they react, how they adjust.

"Kicking is something I love and am passionate about."

She says her parents inspire her, and her coaches supply her with the confidence she needs. Success is a team effort in her life, but she knows when it comes time to line up for a kick, it's all on her.

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"They've instilled a strong will in me," Bisping said. "I won't let anyone tell me I'm not enough for this or too small or not strong enough for that.

"Not ever."

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Richwoods football kicker is a female sophomore with talent and confidence