The ponytails were flopping and the eyelashes were flapping at West Orange High on Saturday afternoon, but don’t think the girls participating in the first-ever Orlando All-American Exposure Camp weren’t just as intense as the boys from the morning session.
Nearly 30 players took the field in a sport that is quickly becoming America’s fastest growing competition. The 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles will feature both men’s and women’s flag football, the NFL just began sponsorship for a new women’s flag league and NCAA Power 4 programs are reacting fast, many soon to be offering up scholarships for competition.
On Saturday, Daniella “Dani” de Oliveira of Braden River was hands down the most dominating athlete on the field, and she earned the overall camp MVP, while the defensive MVP went to Akela Martin, a sophomore rusher/defensive back at Sanford Seminole.
Photos: All-American Exposure Camp, girls
Oliveira, a receiver/running back for her high school team, showed elite talent in most every skill position and even made some coaches working the camp wonder if she even might even be a good quarterback.
The 5-foot-5 de Oliveira, who worked out mostly at receiver Saturday, showed adept ball skills catching the football and her quick feet presented a challenge for defensive backs trying to cover her routes. The senior-to-be is fast, and she turned in the fastest camp times in the 40-yard dash (5.4 seconds), the 5-10-5-yard shuttle and the L-drill.
“I worked really hard and I feel really good about [winning MVP],” said de Oliveira, who was presented with a $100 dollar check from AAE as a scholarship donation. “It’s probably my favorite sport. I’ve played volleyball, weightlifting and soccer and I ended up picking flag football to continue with.
“I think it’s growing and I’m definitely thinking about going to college for it.”
She’s hoping more scholarship opportunities, which are mostly available at NAIA-level programs, will develop in the near future. Nebraska was recently the first Power 4 program to offer women’s flag football as a scholarship sport, and it is expected that many programs will follow suit.
“I’ve talked to a few [college coaches], but they’re all smaller than D-I,” de Oliveira said.
Martin’s aggressive nature as a defensive rusher proved to be nearly too much for all quarterbacks at the camp, as she rarely gave the QBs any time to set up to throw the football.
“It feels great. It was nice to be able to show off my skills and meet a bunch of new girls and talk to new coaches. It was nice to show off what I can do,” Martin said. “I love rushing and I like to run fast… so, one, I get to get the quarterback, and maybe get the ball. It really shows my speed and my ability.”
Sanford Seminole sophomore Akela Martin earned the defensive MVP honor at Saturday’s All-American Exposure Camp at West Orange. (Chris Hays/Orlando Sentinel)
Like de Oliveira, Martin would also like to take her talents to the collegiate level.
“I’m excited, especially for when D-I comes out, but really any other division … it would be nice to play at the next level,” Martin said. “I just want to put my best foot forward and see what I can do.”
She, too, said she has played other sports, but she has put everything else aside to concentrate on her flag football future.
“I wrestle, I dabble in baseball and I run track, as well,” de Oliveira said. “I like football … and it definitely shows aspects of all the other sports.”
Chris Hays can be found on X.com @OS_ChrisHays.