Community Corner

Football is for Girls Too

Seven-year-old Niya Morgen is her team's lone girl, and its lone all-star.

 

About a year ago, Niya Morgen, 7, of Swampscott heard kids on the playgound talking about a game — football, flag football. 

The talk led the Stanley School student to the field of play and she has since become a devoted football fan and a devoted football player.

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She plays for the 49ers in the 7-8 year old division in the North Shore Flag Football League.

Her parents — who were not football fans and never watched games at home — took her to Big Blue football games last fall so she could watch the Swampscott big kids play football.

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"She loved every moment," said Terri Morgen.

And she is happy on the football field, too.

At a recent 49ers practice, Niya's mom watched her daughter tear over a carpet of thick grass at Glabicky Field at the intersection of Birch and Lafayette in Marblehead.

Niya is the only girl on the team, a team of scrappy 7- and 8-year-olds.

"Our lone all-star, as well," said her coach. She is fast and aggressive.

Ask Niya — a fine gymnast and a soccer player, too —  where football stands among her top three favorite sports and she answers immediately.

"Football," she says.

At the practice she and her teammates ran to open spaces waving and hollering, "coach, coach, coach," for the coach to throw them the ball.

The coach let the soft rubber blue football fly and the kids reached for the pass.

When they caught it they would spin, their red flags trailing at their sides, and sprint for the end zone — or maybe tumble to the turf.

The kids enjoyed the action and inaction.

The quick bursts of play. Then the talk and growls and complaints and bragging and everything else that goes on between the offense and defense as they get ready for the next play. 

Flag league is popular on the North Shore, growing each season, said Niya's coach.

It includes divisions for 5-6 year olds, 9-11 year olds and 12-14 year olds.

On the sideline, watching the action, parent Dave Potter of Swampscott said flag football is a good introduction to football for the younger kids.

He says maybe only one-third of the kids will go on play the tackle game but they still get to try football without the hitting.

Dave's son, Alef, and Niya are friends. 

After practice ends, they put their rubber cleats to work by climbing a tree.

Scampering down the tree, they make plans to play another day, play that will likely include football and talk of football.


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