JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Women are sliding their helmets on, strapping their pads in, and getting ready to compete on the gridiron this season. Saturday is the season opener for one of Jacksonville’s women’s tackle football team.
“I think it’s pretty amazing that girls who might have been told that they can’t do something like play football, actually have that opportunity,” Florida Avengers captain Leslie Hubbell said.
Now women can suit up for the Florida Avengers, Jacksonville’s female tackle football team.
“Our organization exists to empower women through sports, specifically the game of football,” Florida Avengers owner and general manager Kim Rocky Philips said. “We’re here to elevate females in sport and get them paid one day.”
The Avengers are the only team in the state to compete in the Women’s National Football Conference. There are 17 teams in this conference. The Avengers started competing in 2019 and have been growing ever since.
“More athletes are coming out to join the team,” Philips said. “We have a lot more interest. A lot bigger coaching staff than we had before. The excitement we have in general as an organization is through the roof.”
The majority of the team is from Northeast Florida, but some players travel from as far as Detroit or Tampa to play for the Avengers.
“I’m so excited for this season,” Hubbell said. “I’ve been with the Avengers for the past three years now and this is the largest roster we’ve ever had. We have such a plethora of talent, it’s amazing. I can’t wait to see what these girls are going to do on the field.”
Head coach Damien Grimes has played or coached football his entire life. When he moved to Jacksonville in 2022, he wanted to continue his passion.
“One of my coworkers told me that she knew somebody that was looking for a DB coach, but they were women,” Grimes said. “I was like honestly football is football. I was interested, went out and saw practice one day, the drive I saw, the ambition, I knew it was my calling.”
Some of the Avengers have been playing for decades, but there is something unique this year about this team.
“This team is all about family, it’s about integrity, it’s about commitment, it’s about having each others back,” Hubbell said. “The energy is so positive.”
Last year the organization expanded to include a flag football team for female athletes looking to get into the sport.
The Avengers season opener is Saturday at 7 p.m. They are hosting the Tennessee Trojans. The Avengers will play their home games at Edward Waters University.