BROCKPORT, N.Y. (WHEC) – For most athletes – it’s about the will to win. But for so many women who love football, it’s just been about the will to play. Now, the opportunity is there.

“It’s always been seen as a guys sport. Now that we have this empowerment with flag and we get to play it, I hope that people can take women more seriously when it comes to football and definitely shining a big light on women in sports,” said junior Kat Althouse.

Althouse helped start the club flag football team and during an event on campus said over a hundred women were interested in playing.

“I came here and for Club Craze I saw Kat had a table and she had her whole setup and she was trying to pull people in, and she was like come here come here, and so I walked over and I was like hey what is this, and she was like Flag!,” said sophomore Rachel Freitas.

So next season, incoming freshmen will have the chance to join the first ever NCAA-sanctioned flag football team at SUNY Brockport. Current students will also get the chance to change their titles to student-athletes.

“Right from the jump off of the announcement I saw so many people flood in with interest now that it’s become an NCAA sport. I prefer structure. I think a lot of athletes prefer structure,” said Althouse.

“I’m just excited to call myself a student athlete, because a lot of people will always be like I’m a student athlete – and it always seems like they have so much fun,” said Freitas.

As the sport transitions from club to varsity, there will be challenges like finding a head coach and making cuts. But the outlook is Golden for the Eagles.

“I’m just glad that I get to be here and see it happen. We thought this was gonna be something happening three, four years down the road. Having this happen now and it getting to be a varsity sport while I’m still here, I love that and I’m so thankful for that,” said Althouse.

Their first season will take place next Spring with four other Empire 8 schools competing for the inaugural trophy.