Sumner Academy girls’ flag football team gets spot in Oakley’s Mahomes ad

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - On the day before the Chiefs’ home opener, a group of high school girls were gearing up for their first game on the gridiron.

The day before their first practice two weeks ago, Sumner Academy’s athletic director got a phone call from the sunglasses brand Oakley. The company was shooting a new ad for their Patrick Mahomes collection to run on social media platforms. They wanted the girls’ flag football team to be involved.

It’s the first year for girls’ flag football at the Kansas City, Kansas public school. They are the only school in the district doing it.

“This is a part of history now,” said freshman player Rey-Auna Haywood.

Now the girls are making an appearance in this ad for Oakley’s Patrick Mahomes collection.

“It’s really cool because I’ve loved Patrick Mahomes,” said Kathleen Shultz, also a freshman.

Shultz has some experience with flag football. She went to middle school at St. Patrick Catholic School. She started playing there in the sixth grade. The rest of the girls are first-timers, save for some backyard play with cousins or brothers.

Rebecca Skinner. Sumner’s athletic director, got the team started this summer with the help of Chiefs Flag Football.

“They provide about $2500. They also provide the jerseys, they provide the playbook, equipment, everything you need to get started,” Skinner explained.

[9:59 PM] Betsy Webster

Betsy web script - Sumner girls flag football

Sumner Academy girls flag football gets a spot in an ad for Oakley’s Patrick Mahomes collection

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) — The day before the Chiefs home opener, a group of high school girls was gearing up for their first game on the gridiron.

The day before their first practice two weeks ago, Sumner Academy’s athletic director got a phone call from the sunglasses brand Oakley. The company was shooting a new ad for their Patrick Mahomes collection to run on social media platforms. They wanted the girls flag football team to be involved.

It’s the first year for girl’s flag football at the Kansas City, Kansas public school. They are the only school in the district doing it.

“This is a part of history now,” said freshman player Rey-Auna Haywood.

Now the girls are making an appearance in this ad for Oakley’s Patrick Mahomes collection. https://fb.watch/mT40NXN2Yi/

“It’s really cool because I’ve loved Patrick Mahomes,” said Kathleen Shultz, also a freshman.

Shultz has some experience with flag football. She went to middle school at St. Patrick Catholic School. She started playing there in the 6th grade. The rest of the girls are first-timers save for some backyard play with cousins or brothers.

Rebecca Skinner. Sumner’s athletic director, got the team started this summer with the help of Chiefs Flag Football.

“They provide about $2500. They also provide the jerseys, they provide the playbook, equipment, everything you need to get started,” Skinner explained.

She’d heard about the district-wide program at the North Kansas City School District. She called their athletic director, who connected her with Chiefs Flag Football. They networked over the summer. Then, on August 21, she got a call from Oakley. They had called Chiefs Flag Football to suggest a team and Sumner was suggested.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” said Skinner. “In March, this was just a dream, but to see all of the hard work, all of the effort, all of the connections that we’ve had to accomplish and do to ensure that ourscholar-athletess were provided with this opportunity was just amazing to see.”

The MVP himself wasn’t there for the shoot, and the school didn’t get a talent fee, but they did all walk away with a pair of Oakley sunglasses.

What’s priceless is the confidence they get from the sisterhood and the attention it’s getting.

“When other people support the sport with you, then you feel like, yeah, this could go,” said Haywood.

“We’ve seen guys play football all our lives, but we haven’t really seen any girls play,” added Shultz. “So, the fact that we get to see that and we get other girls to see that is really important.”

“If I really put my mind to it, then I can’t be stopped,” said freshman player Aeriyona Jenkins.

A lot of the girls said they were already amped for the Chiefs’ home opener, but getting this spotlight makes them even more excited.

Copyright 2023 KCTV. All rights reserved.