Aeiress Stancil
Aeiress Stancil
Playing for Something Bigger: Inside Spelman’s Flag Football Journey to the West Coast
Playing for Something Bigger: Inside Spelman’s Flag Football Journey to the West Coast
On Feb. 4, Spelman’s Flag Football team traveled to Oakland, California, to participate in the Divine Nine and HBCU Flag Football Classic hosted by Laney College. The group made history as the only HBCU intramural sports team to attend the event.
“Other people have tried to do what we’ve done,” Madison Bryan, a sophomore and member of the flag football team, said. “We’ve been the only ones to actually progress with the team.”
Interest in athletics has long been part of Spelman College’s campus culture, reflecting the institution’s emphasis on teamwork, discipline and holistic development. As early as the 20th century, students have participated in organized games, with student-led groups coordinating basketball, volleyball and tennis tournaments and celebrating athletic achievements in campus publications.
In 2012, however, the college discontinued intercollegiate athletics, instead prioritizing wellness initiatives for the entire student body rather than a small percentage of varsity athletes. Despite the shift, many students have continued to value competitive sports as a source of community, identity and school spirit. For the flag football team, the opportunity to compete nationally represented a revival of that tradition in a new form.
“For us to turn a vision into something real for a brand-new program and get girls interested — it was challenging, but it came out so beautifully,” junior Mikayla Ruffin, co-captain of the team, said.
Traveling across the country together marked a defining moment for the team, many of whom had never taken a trip of that scale as athletes. The journey to Oakland became an opportunity not only to compete, but to deepen relationships beyond the field.
“It was a bonding trip that we didn't know would happen,” sophomore co-founder and president of the team Chloe Terry said. “We’re just a group of college girls who are always on campus, going to class to find out we were being flown out to Oakland and San Francisco."
Competing against established programs, including Division I Alabama State University and Diablo Valley College, presented a new level of intensity. Despite facing teams with formal athletic structures, the Spelman players emphasized that preparation, trust and determination allowed them to rise to the challenge.
“It was a challenge, but it wasn't a challenge that we couldn't handle,” Terry said. “It was great playing another HBCU, shedding light on the sport, not only women in sports but women of color in sports.”
The team’s impact extended beyond the field during a Black expo held as part of the conference. Players spoke with approximately 150 middle school girls from across the Bay Area who participate in flag football. Team members shared information about Spelman College, college life and opportunities in women’s flag football, encouraging the students to pursue both higher education and athletics.
“Now they know about Spelman,” Ruffin said. “When they get older, they’ll look back and realize who they met. Hopefully they’ll say, ‘I met some girls when I was younger, and they inspired me to go to Spelman and to keep playing flag football.’”
For the players, the trip represented more than a series of games; it marked a milestone in the continuing evolution of athletics at Spelman and a testament to what student-driven initiatives can accomplish. The experience affirmed that Spelman women are carving out space for themselves in competitive sports on their own terms.
As the team returned to campus, players said they hope their journey will open doors for future students and continue building momentum for intramural athletics at the college.
On Feb. 4, Spelman’s Flag Football team traveled to Oakland, California, to participate in the Divine Nine and HBCU Flag Football Classic hosted by Laney College. The group made history as the only HBCU intramural sports team to attend the event.
“Other people have tried to do what we’ve done,” Madison Bryan, a sophomore and member of the flag football team, said. “We’ve been the only ones to actually progress with the team.”
Interest in athletics has long been part of Spelman College’s campus culture, reflecting the institution’s emphasis on teamwork, discipline and holistic development. As early as the 20th century, students have participated in organized games, with student-led groups coordinating basketball, volleyball and tennis tournaments and celebrating athletic achievements in campus publications.
In 2012, however, the college discontinued intercollegiate athletics, instead prioritizing wellness initiatives for the entire student body rather than a small percentage of varsity athletes. Despite the shift, many students have continued to value competitive sports as a source of community, identity and school spirit. For the flag football team, the opportunity to compete nationally represented a revival of that tradition in a new form.
“For us to turn a vision into something real for a brand-new program and get girls interested — it was challenging, but it came out so beautifully,” junior Mikayla Ruffin, co-captain of the team, said.
Traveling across the country together marked a defining moment for the team, many of whom had never taken a trip of that scale as athletes. The journey to Oakland became an opportunity not only to compete, but to deepen relationships beyond the field.
“It was a bonding trip that we didn't know would happen,” sophomore co-founder and president of the team Chloe Terry said. “We’re just a group of college girls who are always on campus, going to class to find out we were being flown out to Oakland and San Francisco."
Competing against established programs, including Division I Alabama State University and Diablo Valley College, presented a new level of intensity. Despite facing teams with formal athletic structures, the Spelman players emphasized that preparation, trust and determination allowed them to rise to the challenge.
“It was a challenge, but it wasn't a challenge that we couldn't handle,” Terry said. “It was great playing another HBCU, shedding light on the sport, not only women in sports but women of color in sports.”
The team’s impact extended beyond the field during a Black expo held as part of the conference. Players spoke with approximately 150 middle school girls from across the Bay Area who participate in flag football. Team members shared information about Spelman College, college life and opportunities in women’s flag football, encouraging the students to pursue both higher education and athletics.
“Now they know about Spelman,” Ruffin said. “When they get older, they’ll look back and realize who they met. Hopefully they’ll say, ‘I met some girls when I was younger, and they inspired me to go to Spelman and to keep playing flag football.’”
For the players, the trip represented more than a series of games; it marked a milestone in the continuing evolution of athletics at Spelman and a testament to what student-driven initiatives can accomplish. The experience affirmed that Spelman women are carving out space for themselves in competitive sports on their own terms.
As the team returned to campus, players said they hope their journey will open doors for future students and continue building momentum for intramural athletics at the college.