NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- Head out to Ghent School in Norfolk and you'll see and hear the sights and sounds of football. It features almost everything you'll experience under the Friday night lights, but soaked in the Sunday afternoon sun. It's girl power on the gridiron, a league that's the first of its kind in Virginia, according to its founder.
"When people hear about girls playing football, they think of powder puff football," pointed out Jamaar Hawkins, the founder of I-64 Sports. "We have some serious athletes. We have some girls who are competing for college scholarships."
"I always loved football and I always loved playing in gym at school," said Akire Williams, a sophomore at Indian River High School. "When I found out they were having a [girls flag football league], that's what brought me out here."
The All Girl Flag Football Circuit is in its inaugural year. Hawkins and his I-64 Sports colleagues kicked off the league after he discovered similar programs in other states and don't be fooled- you'll see plenty of athleticism on the field.
"Girls can learn and make incredible plays," said Mario Woods, who is I-64 Sports' head of football. "A lot of girls are much more talented than I thought, so now once they grasp the game, it's pretty much easy."
"They're going to see me working hard, they're going to see me putting in that work, that energy," smiled Norfolk Academy eighth-grader Messiah Bolden. "I'm just like that."
Bringing the program to Virginia to open doors for females was an easy decision for Hawkins. He's a girl dad who is providing young ladies with an opportunity to grow both on and off the field.
"Sportsmanship and teamwork because to play football you have to have a lot of that," Bolden said of what she's learning. "That's what I'm going to remember the most."
"I hope it builds confidence, not even just from a physical standpoint, but just mentally," added Hawkins. "A lot of these girls, they're teens, so just getting them in spirits, getting them a positive mindset and just continuing to grow them."
The season features tournaments once a month from July through December with practices in between to build chemistry, skill and teamwork. Organizers hope this ends up being an experience that will stay with the players well after their final downs of 2023 are played.
"Just believing that girls can play the sport, too," Woods said. "Now they're offering scholarships for girls to play the sport and they're real aggressive just like the guys."
"As a girl dad, I have the benefit of seeing it up close and personal," Hawkins noted. "As a high school coach I see it, but I just want to be able to showcase these girls and show that they can do anything that they put their minds to. Anything that the boys can do, they're able to do the same exact thing."
The All Girl Flag Football Circuit is still open for registration. You can sign up and learn more on the I-64 Sports Facebook or Instagram pages.
