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(AP) -- Lauren Silberman has scant chance at making the NFL.
 
Silberman never kicked anything more than a soccer ball in an organized game and she just started practicing long-range field goals.
 
Even so, the first female kicker scheduled to try out at an NFL regional scouting combine would like to see where her new hobby will take her. In an era where Danica Patrick can contend against men in motor sports,

Silberman is about to take a big kick forward for female athletes, even if the odds are clearly stacked against her.

The 28-year-old Silberman will kick Sunday at the New York Jets' training facility in Florham Park, N.J.
 
"I am working hard to prepare but I am also realistic about my chances," she wrote in an email. "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."
 
Her goal for the weekend is a true long shot: perfect 60-yard field goals.

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