All-girls flag football team breaking stereotypes at a Colorado high school
The high school football season is underway in Colorado and so are streams of "Football Friday" on CBS News Colorado. This season, we are teaming up with FanVu to stream the battle of the Valor Christian Eagles and Regis Jesuit Raiders at 7 p.m. in Highlands Ranch.
A group of students at Valor Christian High School are excited for Friday's big football game, but they are also excited for their own sport: flag football. The all-girls flag football team at Valor consists of 60 female athletes. They bring along an important message: girls can play football, too.
"While it has been dominated by men, plenty of females love athletics and love football," said Bronson Stewart, head flag football coach.
Flag football is just like regular football, without the tackling. You still have to follow plays, learn the rulebook and compete as a team. This all-female team wants the world to know they definitely have the game down.
"People maybe think girls flag football is like powderpuff or a pickup club sport," said Stewart.
Senior and flag football athlete Keane Hazelrigs has something to say about people who don't think that girls can play football, too.
"I just think girls sports need a lot more recognition," Hazelrigs said. "Sometimes, this is a great way to get the word out and get people to show up to games."
Every day on the field, these girls are practicing to get better. Off the field, they are uplifting other women to get involved in the game. They are breaking stereotypes of football being a male dominated sport.
"Growing up, it's always been 'Oh look at those guys playing football' or 'Look at those guys who just got accepted,'" said Savannah Khan, senior and flag football player. "Maybe in the future, girls will say 'I want to be just like her.' I think that's something that really stood out to me because you are creating a legacy."
Even though the sport is new to the high school, the girls say the support they are receiving means the world to them.
"Sometimes, we get the comments like 'Who's going to come to a flag football game?' and then I say 'Guess who came to our game on Friday -- we had packed stands.' Which is great," Khan said.
The girls say their dads are so used to watching their sons play football. Now, they can come to watch their daughters play football, too.
Before the boys' game kicks off at 7 p.m., the girls' game between Valor and Regis starts at 3:30 p.m., and it takes place at Valor.