Interest in football is growing, especially among a female audience. A recent study found a 33 percent increase in women who watch regular season NFL football games — and the level of their interest isn’t stopping there, said Kim Brown, coach of Jacksonville's only all-woman football team.
Brown leads the North Florida Pumas, an all-female tackle football team. She discussed the league Friday on First Coast Connect.
“We are just looking to build a team so that women can have an opportunity to play ball,” Brown said.
The Pumas are the newest edition to the Women’s Football Alliance league, which has 68 teams.
Brown said most women only “know what they see on TV” when it comes to football.
“When the ladies come in, they don't really know how to play the game,” she said. “We get to teach them from the ground up.”
While most people see football as a male dominated sport, Brown said, “It’s football. It’s women playing. It's still the same.”
The Pumas are kicking off Super Bowl Sunday with its final tryouts for the 2017 season from 10 a.m. till noon at the practice fields of the Normandy Athletic Association.
Tryouts are open to women ages 18 and older. Girls ages 17 and younger need parental consent.
News Intern Joy Kader can be reached at joykader@yahoo.com, 561-900-5235 or on Twitter at @joykader95.
