Growing up tossing footballs with her dad and cheering for the San Francisco 49ers, Alyson R. was elated to make her debut on Bryan Adams High School’s inaugural flag football team, only for it to be stolen in an instant.
“I was rushing the quarterback and tore my ACL. I heard the pop, fell to the ground, and knew exactly what it was,” she said. “I was bawling and could not walk. It was terrifying because it happened in a second.”
After years in soccer, track, and cross country, the senior had finally landed on a sport that felt like home. Sitting on the sidelines at practices, she wondered when she was going to get another shot.
“I would still attend the practices with my ACL being torn,” she said. “I would still watch my girls practice while I was on the sideline, throwing a ball to myself. I would still listen to the coach and watch everything.”
Prior to her injury, she was instantly recruited by professional football players to be a member of the Dallas Cowboys ELITE Girls Flag Football team, making her one of the top 12 players in DFW to make the elite team.
Through discipline and consistency, she made her first comeback game seven months after surgery with six interceptions and two touchdowns.
Today, with a signed Division I athletic commitment to the University of Texas at Arlington—the first and only university in the state to offer an NCAA DI varsity flag football program—Alyson can hardly believe how far she’s come.
“I’m very proud of myself and maybe a little astonished,” she said. “I think my parents are too. They put all their hard-earned money into doctors and physical therapy so I could come back. It’s amazing, and I have a great support system behind me—all my coaches, my trainers, and my parents.”
A product of Dallas ISD, and the daughter of a Bryan Adams graduate, Alyson chose her school specifically for its Pathways in Technology program.
Inspired by her father, who serves as the lead investigator at a law firm, she is working toward becoming a lawyer and is well on her way, graduating high school with an associate degree in criminal justice.
“We want to open up our own law firm when I get my law degree and pass the LSAT,” she said. “ I’ve always grown up wanting to be a detective. I find it amusing looking for cases.”
Long before signing and graduation days, Alyson proved she would leave behind a legacy of resilience. Whether sitting on a bench unable to participate or setting a strong example for her three younger sisters, she proves where determination can lead.
“I’m super excited for what’s coming this fall, getting to be with new teammates and learning about them. A lot of girls are coming internationally. For me, going to a D1 school so close to home feels good because I can stay in Texas but still play at the highest level.”
