Woman leaves in tears after getting injured on just her second kick during try out to become the first female in pro-football

New York's Lauren Silberman made history Sunday as the first woman ever to try out for pro football, but she was forced to leave the field early in tears after aggravating a leg injury in kickoff drills.

She tried two kickoffs, the first going 19 yards and the second about 13 yards, and then asked to see a trainer.

It was the second kick that likely caused the injury.

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Walk it off: Lauren Silberman ices her thigh after taking two attempts during kicker tryouts at an NFL football regional combine workout

Incomplete: Silberman talked to officials about whether she could complete the day but ultimately had to leave

All eyes on her: Silberman addressed reporters about her historic attempt after deciding she had to leave

Posting to Twitter f rom the scene, Star-Ledger writer Conor Orr wrote that Silberman 'said she injured her quad earlier in the week and tried to push through it today.'

When asked by The Jet Press if Silberman could get interest from any teams, Orr wrote: 'Absolutely not.'

Writer Jane McManus tweeted that Silberman 'said she was injured last week in practice. Teared up. Asked what her longest kick was, said it was hard to exactly say.'

As more than two dozen media, including E! Entertainment network, watched her every move, the 28-year-old Silberman was examined off to the side of the practice field. About 30 minutes later, while 36 other kickers continued their workouts, she called the scene 'surreal' and thanked the NFL for 'this tremendous opportunity.'

Silberman took no warmup kicks until she attempted her first kickoff and even appeared to have some trouble keeping the football on the kicking tee.

Grateful: Silberman thanked the staff for the chance to try out and said she hoped she would be given another opportunity in the future

Short: Silberman's combined kicks totaled just over 30 yards

First try: Silberman said she was so concerned about her leg injury she didn't even warm up before attempting a kick

'I've always been an athlete, and I've always been a gamer,' she said while fighting back tears. 'When I had the opportunity to be in the NFL, one of the world's most competitive leagues, I absolutely had to take the chance.'

Silberman said she suffered a quadriceps injury while preparing for the tryout earlier in the week, and attributed her struggles to that.

'I tried staying off it and waited for today,' she said. 'I didn't even take kicks in warmups, and, it's pretty hard to know that you'll be in pain and I wanted to work through it and I certainly tried to, but I just couldn't do it today.'

Out early: Silberman's injury kept her from competing in the rest of the day's events

Silberman, who spoke to the media for 3 minutes after the tryout, insisted she can 'do more' and 'it's too bad that this happened.'

She also said she 'did the right thing' and anticipates trying to kick again in the future.

Silberman appeared to be favoring her right leg when she left the complex soon after that.

'I would certainly be very, very excited and happy if I had the opportunity to try again,' she said, 'but it's not up to me. It's up to the scouts.'

She later added that Silberman 'didn't stay for the final group meeting at tryout.'

Silberman had trained for weeks for the opportunity.

Ready for the world: Lauren Silberman stretches before she begins her try out for the NFL Regional Scouting Combine

Go for it: Silberman has spent weeks training for this opportunity, and has made kicks from as far out as 35 yards

Pioneer: Silberman is the first woman to try out since the NFL agreed to open itself to female players in 2012

'I didn't think about my gender when I registered,' Silberman, 28, told USA Today. 'I just wanted to go out and compete with the best.'

'I am glad that is has focused attention on increasing opportunities for women and am so proud to be able to kick through this open door!'

The East Village resident has a lifelong love of sports, and a brilliant mind.

As a master's student in comparative media studies at MIT, she wrote her thesis about athletes using video games to boost their performance in 2009.

No pressure: Silberman looks at home as she walks on the indoor turf before tryouts

Stiff competition: Though Silberman doesn't have a football background she was active in lacrosse and soccer

Long road: Silberman's trainers have been preparing her to go all the way, telling her that the tests won't end Sunday

Sunday's event was held at the Jets' training facility in Florham Park.

It supplements the NFL's invitation-only national scouting so that players who have potential to make it as a pro don't fall through the cracks.

At the regional level registration is open, and if a talent catches the right eye they could be taken in a late round draft or invited to training camp.



If Silberman impressed, she would have been on her way to a super regional combine next month in Dallas.

Odd woman out: Silberman competes against a pack of men for attention as a kicker

Giving a chance: Events like this supplement the NFL's invitation-only national scouting so that players who have potential to make it as a pro don't fall through the cracks.

Standing out: Silberman takes a knee with the rest of the hopefuls as they're given direction for the day

The NFL officially allowed women to play in the league in 2012.

Before the try out, Silberman hoped her example encouraged more women to try out.

'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,' she told NFL.com.

One small step: Silberman becomes the first woman to walk onto the field for warmups before participating in the NFL Regional Scouting Combine

Trailblazer: Lauren Silberman, 28 will become the first woman ever to try out for the NFL Sunday

Lifelong ambition: Silberman wrote her Master's thesis on how college and pro athletes can use video games to improve their athletic performance

As a woman who's never been on the gridiron she'll needed to compete against players with far more experience.



Silberman was a club soccer player at the University of Wisconsin, as well as a lacrosse and soccer player in high school, but has zero history with footbal l.



'I am working had to prepare, but I am also realistic about my chances,' she said. 'I hope my willingness to put myself out there inspires others to seize opportunities and challenges. The support from around the world has been so heartening.'

Training: Scouts are likely to want to Silberman her connect on extra points and chip-shot field goals with some consistency before moving on to the heavy kicking

To prepare she's been training a few hours every day for the last week with Indoor Football League player Ricky Krautman.



Krautman is also a former kicker for Syracuse University.



'The first session, I just acclimated her to the technique,' he told The New York Post . 'This isn't soccer, you don't kick from 20 yards away. It's a three-step approach.'

Next step: If she impresses Sunday, Silberman's next step is another round of tests in Dallas

After a few lessons, Silberman was more comfortable and the consulting firm founder had gotten some confidence.

'I saw she was getting the feel for everything and getting her technique down,' Krautman said.



He longest successful kick has been from 35 yards.

