City leaders consider prospect of hosting women’s tackle football

LA FERIA — Kathryn Meyer threw a Hail Mary pass to the City Commission this week.

Just more than a month away from their first home game in March and a few weeks from starting their season, the Lady Spartans football team is looking for a home field, more players and sponsors.

And at the last city meeting with her team behind her, Kathryn requested permission from the City Commission to use the sports complex for their games.

The team will play five home games and sell tickets to those wanting to see the games.

“The rest of our games are played as far as Laredo and Corpus Christi,” Kathryn said. “Those teams will also play here.”

Kathryn said the games will bring people into town from all over the Valley and Texas.

City leaders said they are not against the idea.

“We are not saying no,” said Olga Maldonado, La Feria mayor. “This is something exciting for our town.”

Maldonado suggested the team check the sports complex to see if it’s suitable for the requirements needed to host an Extreme Woman’s Football game.

The most concerning issue coming from the commission was if the Lady Spartans football games would interfere with the youth sports programming schedule.

“We would need to know the dates of the five home games and if they were going to interfere with our children’s games,” Maldonado said. “This is very exciting, because I love football.”

The women’s league requires a home team have concessions, lights and bleachers for more than 100 people.

“I would like to see a game,” Maldonado said about the sports complex. “But everything is located toward the baseball area.”

Maldonado asked Kathryn and the team to revisit the field to see if it fits the requirements of the league.

The commission plans to vote on the issue at the next city meeting in early February.

The season officially begins in February. They play eight-on-eight on a 50-yard field. The games are officiated by referees.

Ladies from around the Valley have joined the La Feria team,

The team hopes sponsors will help provide helmets, pads, equipment and cost for travel and expenses.

The games are played full contact for adults 17 years old and up.

The team has 10 confirmed players, their jerseys are being made and they are fundraising to gain the proceeds needed to operate the team.

“We are always taking new players,” Kathryn said. “Everybody is welcome to play and we are always looking for more girls.”