OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The University of Nebraska's announcement of a women's flag football program has sparked excitement among young female athletes in the Omaha area, with some middle school players already setting their sights on collegiate opportunities.
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"I was about to probably really give up on going for football for college, and then when I got the message that they were bringing it, I was really happy," Londyn Beavers said.
Beavers plays for Millard United flag football and represents a growing number of girls who are prioritizing the sport in their athletic pursuits.
Mandy Brandt coaches with Millard United and played rec league coed flag football at NU. She emphasized the significance of Nebraska's adoption of the sport.
"We've been working so hard to bring it in on so many levels in this state and for Nebraska to be one of the first universities to announce it for women, it makes me really excited for the future, for not just my daughter, but for all of our girls," Brandt said.
The enthusiasm extends beyond individual players to program organizers who have watched the sport's growth firsthand. Andrew Mather, who founded Omaha Jr. Stockmen, has observed girls making significant commitments to flag football.
"We've watched some girls give up other sports because they want to make this their priority, and so these things like Nebraska, it's rewarding them for those decisions that they're making," Mather said.
Nebraska joins other local institutions in embracing women's flag football. Midland University and College of Saint Mary have already added women's flag football teams, creating a pipeline of opportunities for female athletes in the state.
Adelaide Brozek, who plays for the Jr. Stockmen's high school-aged team, noted the transition from being the only girl on all-boys teams to having collegiate opportunities with all-female teams demonstrates the sport's significant growth.
"I was playing on all boys teams. I was the only girl there, so now playing on a team that's all girls and then now having a collegiate opportunity to do the same, that just goes to show how much the sport has really grown, and I'm super excited about it," Brozek said.
Across the country, 17 states have girls' flag football as a sanctioned high school sport, and 21 other states have pilot programs with NFL Flag.
Nebraska is not on those lists, but the coaches and players we spoke to hope that's the next step in growing the game.
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