Latest news with #USAfootball
Al Arabiya
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
US Flag Football Star Ashlea Klam and Houston Texans Push for Recognition of Sport for Texas Girls
When US Women's Flag National Team member Ashlea Klam was in high school in Texas, her school wouldn't let her participate in signing day, even though she had earned a scholarship to play flag football collegiately. 'It was extremely hurtful knowing all of the work that I put in and my high school didn't want to celebrate it,' she recalled this week. Klam hopes other girls don't have to experience what she did, and she's working with the Houston Texans Foundation and the franchise's 'She's Next' movement as the Texans' global flag ambassador to help promote female participation in the sport in Texas and beyond. This week, as the US women's and girls' teams assembled in California for USA Football's Summer Series, Klam and the rest of the players were celebrated, receiving curated gift boxes from the Texans and foundation vice president Hannah McNair. The boxes featured items players had requested, including headgear, gloves, sports bras, arm sleeves, slides, and jumpsuits–all adorned with the 'She's Next' slogan and the Texans' logo. 'We absolutely loved it,' said Klam, who has led Keiser University to the NAIA flag football national championship game the past two seasons. 'It was things that true flag football players want. It's really exciting to know that we are being seen and that we are being heard, and especially from organizations like the Houston Texans and knowing that they really stepped up to make all of the (teams) and women who are part of USA Football feel really special.' Men's and women's flag football will be Olympic sports for the first time in Los Angeles in 2028. McNair and the Texans foundation began focusing on girls' flag football in 2023, and she's been thrilled to see growth in the sport among school-age girls in the last two years. 'I'm so excited about it,' she said. 'The growth of the sport, the excitement, the empowerment it gives females being able to play football. We know what it can do to communities and for individuals, but pushing that toward scholarships and educational opportunities for these female athletes is something that we're really focused on.' High school girls' flag football is currently sanctioned as a varsity sport in fifteen states, and McNair and the Texans are working with policymakers in the state to push Texas to sanction it. For now, the team's girls' flag football program includes more than 2,000 high school athletes in Houston, Austin, and El Paso. McNair attended the championships in Houston and El Paso recently and loved seeing the impact the game is making. 'It is emotional and also so moving and inspiring to see these athletes and the excitement they have on the field with their teammates, the celebrations,' she said. 'To me, it's the ultimate team sport, and to be able to push this sport forward with the interest of all these high school girls and young female athletes has been something that continues to help push us to this next step of trying to get it sanctioned here in Texas.' That's something Klam hopes happens soon so that girls playing flag football in the state will have opportunities she lacked. 'I think it's crazy that I've been able to represent my country at this level, but I was never able to represent my high school,' she said. 'So having that sanctioned and giving so many more girls the opportunity and allowing them to feel like this is something that we're serious about and you have a future that would would mean a lot to me.'
Associated Press
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
USA Football's 'Summer Series' in Los Angeles showcases flag football ahead of the 2028 Olympics
Being in Los Angeles this weekend, practicing and playing in flag football games, and mentoring younger players, makes it all seem that much more real for quarterback Darrell 'Housh' Doucette. Just three summers from now, his sport will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 LA Games. What the final roster will look like, how many NFL players may be on it, is still being sorted out. This weekend in LA is simply another chance to showcase flag football. Approximately 900 players from nine countries are taking part in USA Football's 'Summer Series.' No active-roster NFL players are slated to take the field. But that could change down the road after league owners unanimously gave permission in May for players to participate in flag football. 'It's gaining traction,' the 35-year-old Doucette said of his sport, which is currently already part of the NFL's Pro Bowl festivities. 'It's being talked about on ESPN, the NFL Network. The NFL is putting (resources) behind it. It's an exciting, fun, fast game.' The teams of tomorrow The fields at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles will host tournaments and showcases for players of all ages. The men's and women's national teams also play in a series of friendly international matches throughout the weekend. On top of that, federations will engage in an international high-performance summit. Basically, it's an exchange of ideas and methodologies to grow the game around the world. The U.S. men and women are both No. 1 in the world, according to the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) rankings. 'There's sort of a sports diplomacy going on,' said Scott Hallenbeck, the CEO of USA Football. 'There's just lots of elements that I think speak really well to the growth of the sport within the Olympic movement and what's expected within the Olympic movement and the opportunity to all learn from each other as quickly as possible. 'It's only three years to the Olympics. ... We all have to go as fast as we can.' Fine-tuning This is also a chance for the national teams to fine-tune before international competitions. The U.S. squads will compete in September at the IFAF Americas Continental Flag Football Championship in Panama. The women's team also will play at the World Games in Chengdu, China, in August. 'The friendlies are more about just seeing where your team is currently at,' Doucette said. 'We are the top dogs, but we can't go out and treat it that way. We have to keep our foot on the pedal with every game we play.' Doucette still hopes to be the signal caller for Team USA when the LA Olympics roll around. Sure, he will be 38 at the time, but, hey, Tom Brady was winning Super Bowls beyond that age. Lately, Doucette has drawn some headlines for his stance on NFL players contending for roster spots. His take remains simple — beat them out and welcome to the team. 'We all are family together. We don't treat each other differently. We all compete and we want the gold medal,' Doucette said. 'So if those (NFL) guys come out and try out, they make the team, congrats to them — they're one of us.' The rules The games this weekend will be played following the IFAF's 5-on-5 rules. It's the same version fans will see in LA in 2028. The field is smaller than an NFL field by about half: 50 yards long — along with 10 yards for each end zone — and 25 yards wide. A stop is made by ripping off one of the flags attached by a belt to a ball carrier's waist. An offensive touchdown is worth six points with the subsequent extra-point attempt varying in value. Soaring popularity There was a time not too long ago when receiver/center/defensive back Ashlea Klam had to explain the sport she plays. Not anymore. Not after flag football was added to the LA Olympics program, along with cricket, baseball-softball, lacrosse and squash, in October 2023. With the NFL on board, the visibility has only skyrocketed. Klam plays at Keiser University in Florida, which is one of numerous NAIA schools that now have programs. Being in LA this weekend, it's hard for Klam not to think about LA 2028. 'I always think about LA 2028,' said Klam, who bypassed scholarship offers in track and field to concentrate on flag football. 'I still feel like I'm celebrating, just knowing that it's in the Olympics for real.' The action Among the events this weekend: — The Select Bowl. This is a chance for U.S. national team coaches to scout and identify rising stars in the sport. — The Junior International Cup. The 15- and 17-under boys' and girls' teams will take part in a tournament featuring squads from around the globe. — International Bowl. This will be a chance to see some of the top players in a series of international friendlies. Australia, Canada, Germany and Japan are also on hand. 'It's incredibly exciting to see the passion and enthusiasm around the sport,' Hallenbeck said. 'The more traditional tackle fan or football fan is now starting to really understand what 5-on-5 flag football is and what a great addition to overall football fandom it can be.' ___ AP sports:
