JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Dozens of girls flooded the field at Edward Waters University Saturday morning for a day of practice.
“You won’t see more passionate individuals than women playing football,” Rocky Phillips said.
Phillips is the owner and general manager of the Florida Avengers.
The Avengers are a women‘s tackle football team in the Women’s National Football Conference.
“It’s comprised of women that go to school, go to work,” Phillips said. “They are spouses. They have families. They do all that stuff. Then, they also find time to come out and practice and perfect their craft and play tackle football or flag football.”
On Saturday, the Avengers hosted their “Got Her Back” camp — a day dedicated to teaching the game of football to girls 6 to 18 years old.
“It was designed for connection in the community,” Assistant Coach Chelley Hewitt said. “Getting girls some visibility out there and understanding that football is available for them connecting empowering and teaching them.”
Makenzie, who is 7 years old, was among the dozens of girls on the gridiron for the event.
“Really excited,” she said.
She has never played football before but said she learned how to catch and pull a flag.
For the older girls, the event was a chance to connect with the people they look up to.
The Avengers play their homes at Edward Waters University in Jacksonville.
Something some of the girls at the camp aspire to do.
“I look up to these women out here because I wanna play when I get older.” 7th grader Kyleigh Davis said. “It’s just nice to see that it’s becoming a thing so I’m having fun being out here.”
And there aren’t many opportunities to put on the pads and play with girls in high school, so playing with the boys may be the only option.
But they aren’t scared of the challenge.
“You’re not any better than me,” Davis said.
“I think it’s a girl sport too because I honestly think girls are better,” 6th grader Swayze Vega said.
“It’s girls being with girls and girls wanting to play football.” 11th grader Faith Knight said.
Organizers said events like this are for the future of the sport. They said it brings girls together and shows them what’s possible.
“It’s girls being with girls and girls wanting to play football,” Knight said.
The Avengers season runs from April to June, and they play Saturday nights.
Fans can watch home games on the WNFC website or go in person and watch at Edward Waters University.