ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The iconic Vince Lombardi Trophy and the Super Bowl champions stopped by Boone High School on Monday with a special announcement.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation is giving four $5,000 college scholarships to female high school students playing tackle, touch or flag football.
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“It’s awesome,” Kaia Barati said, a senior at Boone High School. “I was so excited when they were saying they were going to do something for female athletes because flag football is such a big program here.”
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Lori Locust, the assistant defensive line coach for the Bucs and a Super Bowl Champion, knows more women like herself will be involved in the sport of football.
“Football is such an incredible sport and such an incredible life lesson,” Locust said. “I think it’s open. I don’t think there’s really a definitive that I can say where it goes because it can go in any direction. But it’s definitely going to move forward.”
Barati, the quarterback for the girl’s flag football team at Boone, said she really appreciates seeing the Bucs supporting women in sports.
“It is so inspiring that such big organizations are wanting to spend energy recognizing female athletes and recognizing that this is such a good program to be a part of and that more people should be doing it.”
With the framework being provided for more women to play and work in football, Locust foresees a brighter future.
“I can’t wait for the day that the gender label is removed and just call me ‘coach.’”