THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WALB) - Women’s flag football continues to grow in popularity both in the states and internationally. In 2023-2024, the sport saw a 105% growth at the high school level. Colleges continue to join the movement, offering more scholarship opportunities than ever before.

Flag football was recently added as an Olympic sport for both men and women at the 2028 Olympic games in Los Angeles. Now, two Thomas University Nighthawks look to make their mark at the national level with the goal of representing the red, white and blue.

Thomas University’s Janae Scott and Gisele Jones are no strangers to success on the field. The Nighthawks have reached the national semifinals or further in each of the last three seasons. Although these teammates share the same field, their path to the sport was very different.

“Chelsea Palmer — She’s the one that recruited, well not recruited me, but she told me in high school I should play flag football. I never played flag football, I’m a track runner,” said Jones.

Scott said, “We played rec ball since I was four, playing flag football. I played with boys until I was in eighth grade, until middle school. Then, my coach finally let me try out for the flag football team.”

This time the stage is even bigger, the stakes higher. The two standouts have been invited to the prestigious U.S. National Flag Football Trials in late March.

When asked what emotions they have knowing they could be representing a whole country, Scott said, “For me, it’s just really exciting. Just keep going, keep raising the bar.”

“I’m excited, but I’m going to be honest, I’m nervous. That’s big to represent USA and have that on your chest. That’s really big,” Jones added.

Jones might have the upper hand on how to manage those nerves. She’s been through this process before.

“Now I know what I’m getting myself into, and I prepared for what, two years now? So, I’m kind of prepared for trials this year,” Jones said.

The biggest obstacle at trials will be the shift from the traditional seven-man they play at Thomas University to five-man.

Scott recognizes the differences, so her mindset still remains on the defensive side of the ball saying, “Five’s is an offensive game. So it’s easy to break a defense in the five’s game, but if you can get one or two stops, then it kind of helps.”

“The coverages are different, of course. It’s five on five, the rules are different. You can’t really touch, and I’m a defensive player,” said Jones.

Jones made the trip in 2022 to the national trials, but did not make the team. Scott has also picked some things up from Jones’ previous trip. They are both confident they’ll make the cut this time, and confidence a big reason why.

“There’s nobody like Janae, I think that’s…I’m unique in myself and as a player to where I provide another aspect or you know, anything you need, I can give you that,” said Scott.

Jones said, “I really am going to put my all on the line so you can put me anywhere. So I feel like that’s my strong suit. I am going to try out for center, receiver, rusher, linebacker, corner, safety…I’m going to try for everything, so whatever I do there, they are going to see something in me. I think I got it in the bag. We do got it in the bag.”

The U.S. National Flag Football Trials will begin March 20, 2025 and include five-on-five scrimmages, individual drills and one-on-one competitions.

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