Update on the LFL: Youth League, 13 Year Old Spokesperson, and 16 Players Leave the Toronto Triump.

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I was alarmed a few days ago when I saw the post "Lingerie Football League Wants to Start a Youth Division." Despite the authors criticism of the league, he stated that the LFL was, "laudably trying to build up interest in girls’ sports." Laudably? I would have chosen another word. It seems laughable to think they are starting this league in order to support young girls dreams of being football players.

The LFL has already made attempts to market this new league. LFL Comissioner Mitchelle Mortaza stated that Paris Jackson was recruited to be "the spokesperson for the LFL’s youth program and perhaps start training for a future football career in the LFL when she reaches the age of 18." Paris is 13 years old and recently became the first girl on the flag football team at her high school. Their motto should be "Catch them while they're young!".

The youth league will have a more clothed uniform (no lingerie for these underagers). However, surrounding young, impressionable girls with adult women who are playing a hypersexualized version of their sport will only lead to the continuation of the male perspective being dominant in the world of sports. I have a hard time believe that the LFL players would be playing, half naked, if they knew no men were around to watch...or even cared.

Ultimately, the continued support of sexualized sports will help NO ONE. Women and girls have it hard out there, there is no doubt. Mina Johnson of Southampton (Va.) Academy knows it best. She is a member of her high school football team. She decided to sit out rather than play because the opposing team didn't want to, and threated to forfeit, if she was on the field. Where are all the girls that want to play football, according to the LFL?! Why is Johnson fighting this battle alone? It is hard to fight an army. If those girls joined their high school team they would be able to play; they would be able to stop the cycle and make people start watching them based on their talents rather than their g-string.

The youth league may be an attempt to secure the future of the league, seeing that some current players aren't too pleased with how things are going. The Toronto Triump have lost 16 out of the 26 players this month. The players "resigned this month over concerns about the lack of proper coaching and “shoddy” equipment." The athletes had to play with hockey helmets and one-size-fits all youth shoulder pads. Further, despite having a total of 12 teams in the league, the Triump only played one game. The lack of proper equipment and no medical staff at the game that was played, left the athletes with sprained ankles and concussions but no one to do anything about it. Coaching discrepancies made the situation worse. Four athletes were asked to leave (via email) in the middle of October, and the other players had the "option of leaving the Triumph without having to pay a $5000 “termination fee” that was in their contracts."

More news about the LFL states that the franchise in Los Angeles is moving to a new home in Ontario, California. Management in LA was not holding up their end of the bargin and "could not provide the level of support [they] needed to produce successful games." It seems that the management of LFL has some work to do if they want to support the dream of women and girls playing sports.

Sure, the LFL may look glamorous from the outside, but these girls can't see the whole picture! Bob Cook stated it best when he said, "I’m not sure there would be much stomach for hotties in nurse costumes leading an effort to get more girls involved in the medical field." So why are we letting the LFL do this to our young athletes?

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This post is related to an ongoing story:

• Lingerie Football/Basketball Leagues

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