“I think I’m ninth in the country,” Stella Hulse says, almost casually.
She is right. With 27 interceptions during the fall 2025 season, Stella ranked No. 1 in Arizona and No. 9 nationally, according to MaxPreps.
Her mom, Gena Lee Nolin, may be our Style Issue cover star, but Stella offers her own definition of style. Off the field, the Chaparral senior gravitates toward chill streetwear. On it, she brings a completely different energy.
“Not laid-back,” she says. “Probably pretty aggressive.”
For Stella, both are authentic. She can be relaxed in everyday life and relentless when there's a football in the air.
The numbers are even more remarkable considering she had not played flag football in years.
“I played when I was six, just randomly, and then I hadn’t played again until last season. All of my basketball teammates were on the team and said it was really fun, so I decided to play,” she says.
As the NFL returns this month, girls’ flag football is surging right alongside it. USA Football calls it one of the nation’s fastest-growing sports, particularly among girls and women, and Stella is part of that rise. She was selected to play in a Cardinals pregame showcase, and last season, she helped lead Chaparral to the state championship game while playing safety, offense and kicker.
“I don’t leave the field,” she says.
And Chaparral Head Coach Carlos Anderson has called Stella the most competitive girl he has ever coached.
“He’s coached quite a bit of people, so I’m glad I’m the most competitive. Our team was so good that a lot of the boys’ coaches decided to come on and coach us as well, which was pretty cool."
She traces that drive to her dad and a childhood immersed in sports.
“I’ve always wanted to win,” she says. “I think that fuels me a lot.”
On the field, her style of play is shaped by timing, awareness and the hand-eye coordination she developed through other sports.
“Hockey helped a lot with that and with reading players,” she says.
That experience becomes especially valuable when Stella is one-on-one with a receiver.
“I think it’s a lot easier when I see the ball in the air, especially if the receiver is shorter. It’s just getting up there at the perfect time and getting as many interceptions as I can.”
Despite the intensity she brings to the game, Stella says football is where she feels most at ease.
“It's just how carefree it is for me,” she says. “I don’t stress about it. It’s very relaxing. I like to be hyped with my team and have fun and laugh during warmups. It makes me relax a bit before games.”
When something goes wrong, she does not stay with it for long.
“I take it as fuel. If I get angry about it, I just move onto the next game or next play.”
Now entering her senior season, Stella knows what she wants most.
“Winning a championship would be really cool. I also want to just have fun, have a successful season, and not get hurt.”
Her style beyond the field is still evolving. Stella describes herself as a tomboy, but says her relationship with Gena has introduced her to another side of herself.
“She’s definitely brought out my girlier side.”
The two have become especially close throughout Stella’s high school years, and her mom has also introduced her daughter to the world of modeling.
“She’s kind of shown me that stuff, and I’ve taken a shine towards it,” Stella says.
While Stella has not decided whether she wants to continue playing football in college, she is considering another possibility.
“I think I want to step into modeling a bit and try that out."
You go girl.
instagram.com/stellahulse91
“I’ve always wanted to win. I think that fuels me a lot. As for mindset? Next play mentality.”