It's Kinda Historic

The NFL is hoping to find the next Vince Papale. Anything to create a story. The league debuted its regional scouting combine concept back in 2011. This year ten cities will hold a regional combine from January to March. The best players will then move on to the Super Regional in Dallas in April. These regionals have found some players in its two short years. Four players were drafted, all in the sixth round, last year. 72 other players signed as undrafted free agents. 21 players were signed in 2011. The system works. Now, it's historic.

The just completed New Jersey regional marked a first in the regional combine process, and a pretty significant event in NFL history. A female player competed.

Lauren Silberman, of New York City, participated as a kicker. A club soccer player at Wisconsin, she wasn't aware that she was the first female registrant. Said Silberman, "I was actually hoping that the 2012 historic milestone rule, to allow women to play, would prompt more women to attend tryouts this year. But for me what's important is to finally have a chance to fulfill my dreams by trying out to play in the world's most competitive football league."

Since college, Silberman has maintained a connection to sports. She wrote a Master's thesis at MIT about how athletes use video games to enhance their own performance. She then founded a consulting company Double Play that helps athletes use video games for virtual training purposes. Now, she can use her work to help herself.

Well, Lauren Silberman was always a long shot to impress an NFL team enough during a regional combine that they would end up inviting her to their training camp. Her historic shot at the NFL ended early with an injury.  She landed awkwardly after her first kickoff. Then asked to see a trainer after her second kickoff attempt. She would come back on the field once more but had a noticeable limp. She never kicked again before the end of the session. That would be a disappointing end for the first woman to participate in a league-sponsored tryout. Still, her invite and participation is historic. Congratulations Lauren Silberman!