Female flag football is taking the country by storm – so where can you find this sport on LSU’s campus?
Well, as of last semester, LSU seniors Alex Hicks and Rachel Odom teamed up to host a female flag football game in association with Refuge, a college ministry on campus affiliated with The Chapel.
Hicks – a member of the ministry’s leadership team – described last semester’s game as a trial run, where at least 25 women competed against each other, with male students acting as coaches.
Since then, the trial run has moved forward, and a Powderpuff Tournament for the sport will be held this semester. The number of women interested in its production has practically doubled.
“When we sent out the form this time, there were like 60 girls interested,” Hicks said. “Obviously, some had to drop based on availability, but I remember just being like, ‘this is so sick’ and getting so excited.”
A game of intramural flag football was hosted on the fields of LSU’s $62 million University Recreation Center last semester, and Hicks and Odom found themselves on the sidelines, cheering on members of their church who were participating. While watching them play, an idea hit Hicks right in the face.
“Wait, wouldn’t it be so cool if we had a thing like that for girls?” Hicks said.
“That’s a great idea,” Odom said.
“We thought we could have the guys be coaches and cheerleaders,” Hicks said. “We could have a ref, and we could have it on a Saturday night. We could actually do this thing.”
From there, the trial run was born, and now they are working with other Refuge members to transform it into something more significant for its congregation, something to bring women together.
“When we came up with Powderpuff, we knew it was not only going to establish Christian principles, but it’s also going to be such an amazing outreach opportunity,” Hicks said.
Hicks is a kinesiology and sports administration major, which makes putting this event together even more special to both her and Odom.
“Seeing how seriously society is beginning to take women in sports such as flag football has been super encouraging,” Hicks said.
One of the most significant factors that Hicks emphasized is how this event has brought students together in both fellowship and sports.
“This is now a tradition,” Hicks said. “And it’s going to be a place where people already feel welcome and warm, but now it’s going to be something that fosters camaraderie and unity in athleticism and in sports.”
Refuge’s Powderpuff Tournament will be held on LSU’s Parade Grounds this Saturday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., with students invited to attend to watch.
