Pee Wee tourney to have its first girl QB

HARVEY, Ill. (Dec. 8, 2003) -- Jasmine Plummer, 11, is the quarterback for the Harvey Colts, and she will lead the Junior Pee Wee team into the national Pop Warner tournament in Florida next week.

She is the first girl to play quarterback in the national championship in the 56 years the organization has held the tournament, Pop Warner officials say.

"It's not a big deal. I just like to play football because I don't like to play with Barbie dolls," Jasmine told the Chicago Tribune at the Thornton High School gym.

She joined the Pop Warner Mighty Mites division at age 6.

She led her team to an undefeated record last year. This year, she graduated to Junior Pee Wees and took the Colts to an 11-1 record.

To win their division, the Colts must get past the Southeast Apaches from Texas on Dec. 9.

"She's just different," said her mother, Guya Johnson. "When they win, you know how people get excited and jump up and down and holler?

"She doesn't do that. She's modest -- she just smiles and walks away."