KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – It was game day Friday for Kansas City Public Schools students participating in the pilot season for their girls’ flag football.
“This is amazing,” said Brittani Hendrix, head coach for the Paseo Academy of Fine & Performing Arts’ girls’ flag football team. “This is a sport where a lot of our girls have gone out before, but they’ve always had to be on a boys’ team and things like that. Being able to come out today in this pilot season this year is huge.”
The district says what started as an idea to bring confidence to high school girls became a reality this year. Now 66 players from five of KCPS’ six high schools are participating.
KCPS says Central High School, East High School, Northeast High School, Paseo Academy of Fine & Performing Arts and Southeast High School each have teams. Next year, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy plans on joining the league.
KCPS says it has been a group effort by KCPS Athletics, the Kansas City Chiefs, the NFL, the KCPS Education Foundation and some other local schools that allowed this pilot program to take off.
“Hearing that we were going to have flag football, especially since it’s the first year, I just wanted to try it out and see if I’d be good at it,” said Jamilla Mackey, a sophomore at Paseo. “I like the energy. It gives me a rush. When I play it, it gives me a huge rush. This is the one sport that when I come out on the field. It doesn’t make me nervous. I guess that’s why I like it so much. Also leading the way for other people since this is the first year.”
Mackey played football in elementary; she is now a running back for her team.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” said Mackey. “I love my team. When we played our first game here and won, we had a big celebration.”
Paseo faced off against Southeast in a rival match today.
“I’ve always wanted to do football,” said Nichelle Staten, a sophomore at Southeast.
Staten plays several sports but says being part of the pilot season for girls’ flag football for the district is special.
“It’s crazy,” said Staten. “Already setting a bar for future women and future kids that wants to do this is amazing. I’m speechless for it. I love it so much. It’s fun.”
Hendrix echoes the sentiment.
“I couldn’t be prouder of my kids,” said Hendrix. “Being able to be a part of this in general as a pilot program and being able to see where it goes from here.”
KCPS states leaders of the effort to start girls’ flag football are hopeful this pilot will become an officially sanctioned sport in the future.
The final season games are set for May 10. An end-season tournament is scheduled for May 18.
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2024-05-04 02:48:00
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