SHAWNEE, Kan. — Female flag football has grown in popularity in the Kansas City metro area.
"Four or five years ago, there wasn't a space for these girls to play flag football or football in general," said KC Shockers coach Kayson Matthews. "Now there is."
On Saturday, two age groups of female flag football teams will head to Ottawa University for a tournament.
The goal is to win the tournament.
A greater prize waits for the Most Valuable Player of the tournament—a college flag football scholarship.
"A lot of people put females down in certain sports," said Ahreya Townsel, a senior flag football athlete. "Letting us shine and show what we can is really great. It's a great opportunity."
If you ask Avionna Franklin, a sophomore athlete on the KC Shockers, football runs in her blood.
"My uncle was the head coach for the Women's tackle team, the KC Glory," she said. "He really got me into football."
Franklin's uncle passed away and with the flag football opportunities popping up around the metro, it has allowed her to grow closer to her family.
"It's always been a really big thing in my family. Telling my Mom how much I wanted to play and her allowing it, then her seeing how happy it makes me, it's made her fall in love with it too," she explained. "I am in love with the sport."
Franklin and her other teammates are already thinking about college and what's next in their academic careers.
Saturday's tournament is opening up a door for female flag football athletes to continue growing the sport, and earning a scholarship to play the sport isn't just a dream anymore.
"I think I have the attitude, sportsmanship, and work ethic... I think it would make my mom over the hill excited for me to earn a scholarship," she added with tears in her eyes. "It's like a miracle to be able to have so many opportunities."
Matthews told KSHB 41 that the sky is the limit for young female athletes.
"There's now a pathway, and almost like a career path, for these girls, that this is the route they want to go, whereas previously, there wasn't," he said. "We actually have a girl on our team who's on the USA U-17 team, so obviously she's already reached the pinnacle of it. Now all the girls here can see it's within grasp."
Matthews anticipates the NCAA Division II level will start offering scholarships in the future.
He calls it a gateway to Division I. The girls call it a chance to experience something they would've never imagined.
"Everyone should at least experience playing football once in their life," Franklin said. "It's the best sport, and it's just really fun to play. I think everyone should get the chance to play it."
The YMCAKC x OttawaU Female Flag Nationals tournament will be held at Ottawa University on Saturday, June 21.
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KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.
