La Crescent girls flag football team shatters stereotypes on the gridiron

"Pioneers on three" is the chant that can be heard at the end of a La Crescent girls flag football practice.

And that's just what these ladies are.

The sport has taken off around the country recently. It's become a sanctioned sport in select states, you can get scholarships to play at the NAIA level and it'll be in the 2028 Olympics.

Terry Donovan wanted his girls to be at the forefront of the movement in Minnesota so he brought up the idea of creating a league in the summer on Sunday afternoons.

"We started with an idea, took it to the Vikings and they helped finance it and we think it's just been outstanding here and to see how fast they've become really good at things is really cool," said the La Crescent head coach.

And when Terry brought up the idea to the Vikings.

"Honestly we were really excited because Terry is already such a leader in the football community so we knew that he would be able to garner momentum and passion fairly quickly down in that region of the state," said Emily Weinberg the Youth and High School Football Coordinator with the Vikings.

This is not your average powderpuff football team, these girls are developing some real skills in between the lines. But beyond the game, there are important lessons being learned and friendships being made.

"The environment that's in it has got such a good group of girls from different parts of the school and all that but we just come together and have a whole bunch of fun," said Cami Esser.

"I really liked the idea of being what our coach Terry says a pioneer where we get to be the leaders for these other young girls," added Teagen Shippy.

But when they do put on those flags and hear that whistle, the difference between Sunday and Friday isn't as big as you'd think.

Coach Terry Donovan says, "Our girls go up and high point balls in the end zone, are making great runs, are tracking the same as we would track to tackle on Friday nights. They're tracking to pull a flag here."

The La Crescent team is getting ready to take on Rosemount on Sunday at TCO Stadium, the Vikings practice facility and both parties are excited for what will be a special and groundbreaking day.

"It's very thrilling because not so many people get to do this opportunity so it just kind of feels special to be apart of this especially when it's so fresh," says Kaitlyn Ingram.

So in a day and age where girls and women's sports are taking center stage, the platers in La Crescent are making "Her-story" on the line of scrimmage in southeast Minnesota.

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