She’s always played catch and football with her dad, Mark, and brothers. They have never cut her any slack because she is the youngest, or a girl, but instead have helped her sharpen her skills. It’s paid off too. She played football in the Bitterroot Valley football league, and then played as a seventh grader on the Corvallis Middle School team.
Last year, Calla won the Montana Punt, Pass & Kick competition sponsored by the NFL. She went on to compete at the national level in Seattle and finished third in the nation in her age group. But she wasn’t content with that.
At 15 years old, this is the last year she is able to compete in the contest and she wanted to do even better. She started locally, in Hamilton, and easily won her age group. Her scores were 100 points better than second place. The distances in each of the three categories are combined into one score. Distance is important but so is accuracy. A measuring tape extends from the competitor out to mark the distance. If the pass, kick or punt is off the measuring tape, that distance from the tape is deducted from the distance marked.
Now Calla moves on to the regional competition, held again in Seattle. The actual competition is at the Seattle Seahawks’ practice complex but she and the other competitors will be introduced during the Seahawks game. She says she’s been practicing ‘some’, but feels she is ready to make a run at the title.
Calla also participates in basketball and track and is looking forward to the throwing events in track. Her parents are Mark and Cathy Haldorson.