By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
To say that Chloe Higgins chose the Seattle Seahawks because of Skittles candy does not treat her fan status with the seriousness it deserves.
Yes, the Seahawks caught her eye a few years ago when fans would throw Skittles onto the field every time a touchdown was scored by Marshawn Lynch, also a fan of Skittles. It wasn’t long before Chloe adopted the entire team – taking notes during games, keeping track of injured players, and taping games that she missed.
Chloe, a Bowling Green sixth grader, is just 11.
Last week, her fan status jumped to a whole new level. She has been selected as one of three finalists in a national writing contest sponsored by NFL RUSH. The organizers asked kids to write about their favorite NFL team and explain why that team is going to dominate this upcoming season. Chloe is the only girl among the finalists.
The winner is chosen by online voting, which can be done at www.nflrushkidreporters.com/vote. Voting ends Thursday, Aug. 25, at noon. People can vote once per day per device.
Chloe’s mom, Stacey Higgins, told her daughter about the essay contest after reading about it on Twitter.
“I just spent the rest of the afternoon in my room, gathering information,” Chloe said. The hard part was limiting the essay to 300 words.
She wrote about the Seahawks’ draft picks, the “stellar” returning players, and the “goldmines” from free agency. She told of the “turn-key” players and the “amazing” coaches.
“These reasons provide hope to the city of Seattle, Washington,” Chloe wrote. “Hold on, I take that back, it doesn’t give hope only to Washington, it gives hope to ALL Seahawks fans across the world!”
The only help she got from her parents was some editing advice to cut the essay down to the required length.
“This was the right match for her,” since Chloe loves writing and sports, her mom said. Her dream is to become a reporter for ESPN or Sports Illustrated. One of her favorite authors is a Mike Lupica, a sportswriter who also publishes young adult sports themed literature.
“My favorite subject in school has always been English, and that goes well with my love of sports,” she said.
Chloe first fell in love with football by watching the player profiles. Then, she started studying the game.
“It’s fast paced, but it gives you breaks to talk and think about what just happened,” she said. A game can be tight until the very end, or a complete blow out. “It’s fun either way.”
If Chloe takes first place, she will win a trip to see the Seattle Seahawks play a game. Second and third place winners get to attend a game within 150 miles of their homes. Chloe will most likely take along her dad, Jeff Higgins, who taught her much of what she knows about football.
“She took right to it,” said her dad, who played football in high school, then at Baldwin Wallace, and is a devoted Notre Dame fan. “The first words I taught her were ‘Go Irish.’”
“Sometimes she knows some of the players I don’t know,” Jeff Higgins said. “I’ve never seen an 11-year-old girl this interested in football.”
The father-daughter team often watches games together, as the mother-other-daughter team of Stacey and Calla find something else to do. “I tolerate it,” Stacey said. “I enjoy football, but not to the extent that her dad and she do.” Calla, age 8, is more of a dance person herself, but she is a “cheerleader” for Chloe in the essay contest.
When Chloe joined her dad in the Fantasy Football draft, people were surprised at her serious attitude.
“They were amazed how well she knows her stuff,” Jeff Higgins said. “She did a lot of serious research. She pays attention to the injuries. She takes notes during games.”
As far as Chloe is aware, no one thinks it’s odd that she is so serious about football. “If they do, they don’t say anything about it,” she said.
“I think people are surprised that she knows so much about it,” her mom said.
Chloe is crazy about other sports, too, playing soccer, golf and basketball. She was really interested in the Olympics – until the U.S. women’s soccer team lost.
Occasionally, her athletic games conflict with the Seahawks schedule. So like any true fan, Chloe goes to her games, but make sure to record her Seahawks. “I tape it and watch it as soon as I get home,” she said.
The possibility of going to Seattle to see the Seahawks play is thrilling to Chloe, who will find out early in September if she won. “I appreciate everyone voting for me,” she said. “This is a very exciting opportunity.”
