Minnesota Vikings host girls flag football camp

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Staff from the Minnesota Vikings were in Sioux Falls Tuesday to host a girls flag football camp.

Around 175 girls made their way to the Sanford Fieldhouse Tuesday, where coaches taught them some football fundamentals like throwing and catching, skills that Elizabeth Folkens wanted to improve on.

“I’m a huge Vikings fan, and I’m going to play girls flag football league this year, so it’s just good practice,” Folkens said.

Megan Majors of The US Women’s Flag Football National Team made an appearance Tuesday and hopes the athletes can be open to getting the hang of a difficult game.

“Just being receptive to coaching and just not getting frustrated, not giving up, that’s the biggest thing I want them to learn is that anyone can learn this game,” Majors said.

The camp also showed the girls that football is for them too.

“I hope that they leave with a newfound sense of confidence,” Minnesota Vikings youth high school football coordinator Emily Weinberg said. “They see themselves as an athlete and could see themselves playing either this sport or any other sport. We just hope girls get out there and are active and take advantage of opportunities that are given to them.”

“Boys have a lot of flag football camps, but girls can also do it too, so I think it’s just good for girls to do it too and have fun so they can do it like the boys do,” Folkens said.

The Vikings partnered with South Dakota Junior Football for the event, who will be offering its third year of girls flag football this fall.