After days of uncertainty and mounting backlash, the New York Jets have reversed course and will now allow an East Rockaway woman to participate in their halftime “Kick for Cash” promotion this weekend at MetLife Stadium.
In a statement released Friday morning, the New York Jets acknowledged a misunderstanding regarding Ashley Castanio-Gervasi’s eligibility and confirmed she will be given the opportunity to compete.
“We realized there was an unfortunate misunderstanding regarding Ashley’s eligibility for the contest,” the Jets said in a statement to The New York Post. “In an effort to remedy the situation, we are allowing her to kick this Sunday for an opportunity to win the prize.”
Castanio-Gervasi confirmed the news to Greater Long Island via text message Friday morning, saying she will be taking part in the promotion as originally planned.
The reversal comes after what had been an emotional week for the longtime Jets fan, season ticket holder and girls varsity soccer coach at Long Beach High School.
As GLI previously reported, Castanio-Gervasi had been selected to compete in the Jets’ “Kick for Cash” halftime challenge — sponsored by Hellmann’s and offering a top prize of $100,000 — during Sunday’s game against New England at MetLife Stadium.
Earlier this week, however, she was informed she was suddenly no longer eligible due to contest rules that allegedly prohibit participants with recent organized soccer or football coaching experience. Castanio-Gervasi said she disclosed her coaching background early in the process and was never told it would disqualify her — until just days before Christmas.
“It’s just insane,” she told Greater Long Island earlier this week.
Castanio-Gervasi, 33, earned her spot in the contest by successfully kicking a 20-yard field goal during a Jets fan competition in the Tailgate Zone before the team’s game against the Carolina Panthers. A former Division I soccer goalie at Stony Brook University, she was the only woman to qualify for the final round.
More than a dozen family members had planned to attend Sunday’s game to support her, and excitement had spread throughout Long Beach High School, where she coaches.
“My students and athletes are ecstatic,” she previously told GLI. “Kids in the hallways are always asking me about it. The whole school is excited.”
The moment also carries deep personal meaning. Castanio-Gervasi has said she plans to donate a portion of any potential winnings to the Esophageal Cancer Education Foundation in memory of her father, Frank.
After being informed earlier this week that she was no longer eligible, Castanio-Gervasi said her family had decided to sell their tickets, marking the first Jets home game she would miss in years. With the Jets’ decision Friday morning, that once-in-a-lifetime holiday moment is now back on.
Castanio-Gervasi is set to take her kick during halftime Sunday, with $100,000 on the line.
Top: Matthew Gervasi and Ashley Castanio-Gervasi with her all-time favorite Jets player, the late Nick Mangold. (courtesy photo)
