A first for NCCU: Women’s flag football

There’s a new team on campus and it’s a first in North Carolina. It’s the N.C. Central University Eagles All-women’s Flag Football Team.

Jaquan Milliam, a.k.a Milz, jumped through all the hoops required at N.C. Central University’s Department of Recreation and Wellness to get the team officially up and running.

“My motivation for creating the team was from the fact that women’s flag football is a growing movement all over the world and we have way too many talented, athletic, and amazing women here at Central,” said Milliam.

“I wanted to be the person to change that and start something special at NCCU and in our state as we are the first college in North Carolina to officially have an all-women’s flag football team, even though it is just a club.”

The team will have their first game on April 1 against Shaw University.

Milliam, who is the team’s head coach and offensive coordinator, is joined by coaches Tyler Vines, who coaches quarterbacks, defensive backs, and oversees conditioning and Chris Gill-Harris, who coaches linebackers and oversees defensive play calls.

As with other types of football there is both an offense and defense. Every player wears a belt that holds two flags. But tackling is not allowed. There is contact and non-contact flag football. With contact flag football, you can shove, push, and/or play more aggressively. The NCCU team will be playing the non-contact version of flag football.

Team member Lyberti Whitsett said she joined the team “to do something out of my comfort zone.”

“I thought it would be a fun experience to help meet new people around the campus as well,” she said.

“My position is wide receiver. So, what my position consists of is learning my play and running them correctly. While also looking up just in case the ball comes to me. The goal is to get the ball in the endzone.”

The NCCU Eagles women’s flag football will play in the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association, the nation’s conference for club sports.

The team now has 11 members and tryouts are now closed. It’s a self-funded enterprise and team members bought their own uniforms and will have to pay their own expenses.

Students can see the team practice Monday through Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at the NCCU Track Field.