Every Olympics creates new household names.
We would buy stock in Ashlea Klam now.
The 21-year-old Texas native is quickly emerging as one of the faces of the flag football boom. Klam, a standout for the U.S. women’s national team and Florida’s Keiser University, last year’s NAIA national runner-up, recently partnered with Unrivaled Sports to build programming for the Unrivaled Flag vertical — clinics, events, showcases — and create social media content (Klam has almost 32K followers on Instagram).
Klam is also an Under Armour athlete, a global flag ambassador for the NFL and the latest Buying Sandlot Q+A subject. We recently discussed over email her partnership with Unrivaled, flag’s growth, the 2028 Los Angeles Games, her efforts to get the sport sanctioned at the high school level in her native Texas and more.
Here is the Q+A:
What can we expect to see from you and Unrivaled?
My partnership with Unrivaled Sports is really about expanding awareness and access to girls’ flag football. We want to create meaningful opportunities for young athletes playing this booming sport.
We know participation among girls has increased massively — but one of the biggest gaps we still need to address is how players are scouted and connected with college programs.
Together, we’re launching showcase events and access points where college coaches can see top talent, helping bridge the gap between youth clubs and collegiate flag football. That means more visibility, more opportunities and a clearer pathway for girls who dream of playing at the next level.
What has it been like to experience and see girls flag football's growth?
Honestly, it’s incredible and just the beginning. The numbers reflect something real - girls aren’t just joining flag football, they’re leading its growth. The sport also has more high school and college teams than ever before.
Personally, I see the growth not just in numbers, but in the confidence it gives girls - it tells them they belong on the field!
How do your youth flag experiences compare to where the ecosystem is today?
When I started playing, opportunities were limited to co-ed leagues because there weren’t options specifically for girls. This led my parents to start Texas Fury, an all-girls club that now has 15 teams across Texas.
This was a great step forward, but also brought new challenges, like playing in front of zero college coaches. Now, kids have real chances to be seen, recruited and supported at higher levels. That’s a huge shift.
You have been part of the effort to get girls flag sanctioned as a high school sport in Texas -- what has that been like?
This is something I am obviously deeply passionate about. I never got to play varsity flag football in high school. Not because I wasn’t good enough, but simply because Texas didn’t sanction it as a varsity sport. I feel that when states don’t offer flag football, they’re denying girls opportunities to compete, grow and be seen.
We’re continuing to advocate with the University Interscholastic League and schools across Texas to recognize girls flag football officially.
What does the ECAC news signal about the growth of flag football at the college level?
Seeing collegiate flag football take real shape - with programs, leagues, and strong backing - is so energizing. The ECAC news signals to players and coaches that this sport is more than a trend; it’s a legitimate and sustainable part of college athletics. As the sport continues to grow at the college level, the pathway for girls becomes more clear and I’m so excited for this new era.
What impact do you believe the 2028 Games and Team USA will have on the sport in the U.S.?
It's truly monumental. It gives the sport global exposure that we’re already seeing at a grassroots level. For young girls today, it’s no longer a distant dream, it’s a real opportunity to possibly compete on the world’s biggest stage in the future.
Being part of Team USA is a dream come true and shows future generations that flag football isn’t just recreation, it’s an elite sport with international pathways. With this new stage, and partners like Unrivaled Sports, the sport is only going to grow and drive participation, investment and belief in what can be achieved.
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Good game.