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Speaker 1: Okay, it’s some vernacular. It’s a phrase of like, okay,

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Speaker 1: just run with it. Well, in football, it’s a real thing.

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Speaker 1: You really want to run with it. This episode of

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Speaker 1: Defending the Kingdom is just that we’re gonna run with

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Speaker 1: it with two special guests in two different areas, but

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Speaker 1: both want to run with it. And this episode of

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Speaker 1: Defending the Kingdom, like all of them, is brought to

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Speaker 1: you by your great friends a Ticketmasters. So many awesome

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Speaker 1: events going on over the next several months. Ticketmasters should

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Speaker 1: be your go to. The homes in the pocket will

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Speaker 1: step up, You’ll scrabble ten fors diving, touchdown, Chanzas City,

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Speaker 1: and Hi everybody. I’m Mitch Holdest, voice of the Kansas

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Speaker 1: City Chiefs along with senior team reporter Matt McMullen. We’re

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Speaker 1: just gonna run with it in this episode. But two

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Speaker 1: real interesting guests first to Marco Murray Ye and Sheila Sikou,

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Speaker 1: again from two different areas, but there is a common

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Speaker 1: theme here and just run with it.

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Speaker 2: A lot of excite in the building right now for

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Speaker 2: a multitude of reasons. The draft’s coming up here in

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Speaker 2: about three weeks. Can you believe that it’s almost time

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Speaker 2: for a draft weekend. But excited about that, excited about

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Speaker 2: DeMarco Murray and I think everyone’s going to love the

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Speaker 2: interview that we just did with him. We’re fired up

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Speaker 2: about it, fired up about this running back Room and

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Speaker 2: the interview with Sheila is really interesting as well. Some

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Speaker 2: really exciting stuff happening in the state of Kansas.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, and not just Kansas, but Kansas right now is

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Speaker 1: the center focus of looking to add sanctioned girls flag

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Speaker 1: football as a high school sport, but it involves many

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Speaker 1: other states around the country, and especially here in the

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Speaker 1: Chiefs Kingdom. You’re going to want to hang around for

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Speaker 1: that part of this podcast because you will hear we’re

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Speaker 1: one collegiate NAI conference which is leading the way nationally

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Speaker 1: and it’s right here in the center of the Chiefs Kingdom. Okay, well,

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Speaker 1: before we get into the running back Room end of

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Speaker 1: Marco Murray, do we have around the world?

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Speaker 2: Got two today? I think we had two last week.

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Speaker 1: As Taekwon Thornton has a new number. Right.

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Speaker 2: It looks so good too. It’s perfect, perfect, absolutely perfect

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Speaker 2: running nine toy. So we have a listener in Elkton, Maryland. Elkton, Maryland,

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Speaker 2: are you familiar.

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Speaker 1: I’m not.

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Speaker 2: I want to check Elkton, mary.

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Speaker 1: Maryland’s like suburban d C. How much on Maryland? Laugh

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Speaker 1: and go out to Frederick and the well.

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Speaker 2: Speaking of that, the other one I have is in

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Speaker 2: a similar area, Richmond, Virginia.

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Speaker 1: Oh go, Spiders, Go Spiders. Sean Barber Yep, my niece

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Speaker 1: lives there. Prominent realator. If you’re looking for something to

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Speaker 1: buy in Richmond, Virginia, look up my niece Angel, She’ll

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Speaker 1: get you all set up. My uncle lived there all

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Speaker 1: his life. It’s a fascinating area. My brother lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.

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Speaker 1: Beautiful area of course, tons of history there. But yeah,

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Speaker 1: good to have cheese fans and Richmond.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, Elkton, Maryland and Richmond, Virginia. There we go for today.

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Speaker 1: Where Shaun Barber, Uh you are baby? The University of

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Speaker 1: Richmond Spiders. Okay. The running back room and this has

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Speaker 1: been such a the wide receiver room and the wide

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Speaker 1: Receiver corps, so much of the discussion of the twenty

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Speaker 1: five season. But not far behind and maybe in a

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Speaker 1: parallel discussion, is the running back room. We talked about

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Speaker 1: in last the last Defending the Kingdom, which was something

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Speaker 1: to prove. We talked about guys like Amri deu Mercado

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Speaker 1: who brings in a forty plus run threat every time

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Speaker 1: he touches the ball. The Chiefs only had the longest

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Speaker 1: rund last year is from a wide receiver in a

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Speaker 1: jet sweep. Most of the long runs have been Mahomes

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Speaker 1: on scrambles. You have to go all the way back

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Speaker 1: to September of twenty twenty three where you had explosive

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Speaker 1: run of forty eight yards of more, and that was

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Speaker 1: in Isaiah Pachecko’s run against the Jets back on Sunday

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Speaker 1: Night Football several years ago. So the running back room

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Speaker 1: is like, okay, what can we do to get that activated,

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Speaker 1: not just to make it productive but explosive. Yeah.

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Speaker 2: I think if you’ve been listening over the last several episodes,

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Speaker 2: we could just rename our podcast the Chiefs running Backs

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Speaker 2: need to get more explosive. I think we say this

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Speaker 2: like every single time, but we get on I mean

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Speaker 2: the reality.

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Speaker 1: No, no, I think about it every day.

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Speaker 2: Well, I think it’s the key, I really do. I’m

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Speaker 2: with you one hundred percent because I think, like I’ve

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Speaker 2: said before, that being more explosive at the running back

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Speaker 2: position and having an explosive running game that defenses have

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Speaker 2: to respect and respect that explosiveness. It’s going to open

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Speaker 2: up everything else for our offense. It’s going to open

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Speaker 2: up the play action passing game, kind of open up

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Speaker 2: our receivers to have easier wins. I mean, I really

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Speaker 2: think it changes everything. And the reality is we just

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Speaker 2: weren’t explosive at running back last year. Overall we were

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Speaker 2: twenty fifth in the NFL, and rushing yards per game

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Speaker 2: twentieth and rushing average twenty third and runs of ten

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Speaker 2: or more yards and you alluded to this. We had

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Speaker 2: three runs of twenty or more yards last year. One

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Speaker 2: was by Patrick, one was by Xavier. So we got

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Speaker 2: to get more of those. And we’re going to have

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Speaker 2: him this year. When you have Ken Walker, who we

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Speaker 2: talked about a few weeks ago, I mean, he’s like

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Speaker 2: a walking big play Amario Demarcado didn’t play a ton

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Speaker 2: in Arizona, but every time he touched the football when

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Speaker 2: he did play, it was a role of the dice

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Speaker 2: of having an explosive play. I think I talked about

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Speaker 2: he had like an explosive run rate of like fifteen

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Speaker 2: point nine percent. I mean, that’ll work. So that’s really exciting.

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Speaker 2: And then Berchhard Smith as well, who I think showed

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Speaker 2: us a lot of things toward the end of the year.

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Speaker 2: He’s a young player still learning the running back position

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Speaker 2: of course being a former receiver, but really did show

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Speaker 2: us some things. So I’m fired up about our running

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Speaker 2: back room going into next year. You got to have

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Speaker 2: a coach though, that can bring it all together, and

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Speaker 2: I think we got that into Marco Murray.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, Sin Derek pal is the fourth member of the

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Speaker 1: room right now, so it’s not a lot of folks

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Speaker 1: in that room. There’s some room to expand in the

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Speaker 1: running back room. We’re going to see that happen in

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Speaker 1: the draft or with undrafted free agents, so that number

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Speaker 1: will not stay at four. But you bring up Burchard

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Speaker 1: Smith and we talk about explosive runs, but it’s also

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Speaker 1: the potential to be explosive in the pame and we’re

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Speaker 1: going to talk with DeMarco about that. And that is

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Speaker 1: not just necessarily running wheel routes and trying to get

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Speaker 1: thirty yard or forty yard plays. It is a pass,

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Speaker 1: a short pass or a screen and then making plays

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Speaker 1: and making a play that’s designed on the computer to

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Speaker 1: go for eight yards. It can go for fifty, sixty,

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Speaker 1: seventy or eighty, and that’s what you need in this

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Speaker 1: offense to take in another step.

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Speaker 2: Well, think about early in Kareem’s career. I mean that

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Speaker 2: was Kareem. Go back and look at Opening night against

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Speaker 2: the Patriots, the first game of Kareem’s career. Looks like

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Speaker 2: a receiver out there. Jerick McKinnon was that guy for

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Speaker 2: us for years. Where we talked about it a few

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Speaker 2: weeks ago, but Jeric at one point in twenty twenty

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Speaker 2: two had like nine receiving touchdowns. I mean just crazy, right,

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Speaker 2: So really didn’t work out last season, but I think

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Speaker 2: we had the guys to do it this year.

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Speaker 1: If you’re a collegiate football fan, especially here in the

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Speaker 1: geographic area of the epicenter of the Chiefs Kingdom, you

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Speaker 1: know this guy. He was incredible at the University of Oklahoma.

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Speaker 1: If you’re an NFL fan, you surely know this guy

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Speaker 1: because he was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year

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Speaker 1: in twenty fourteen. He is now our running backs coach

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Speaker 1: DeMarco Murray. This episode of Defending the Kingdom is our

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Speaker 1: run with it episode, and what better person to bring

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Speaker 1: in than the oh, I don’t know. The NFL Offensive

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Speaker 1: Player of the Year in twenty fourteen, who was fantastic

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Speaker 1: with the Dallas Cowboys that year and the year prior.

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Speaker 1: Now he is the running backs coach of the Kansas

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Speaker 1: City Chiefs, DeMarco Murray. It’s one of those if you

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Speaker 1: can’t beat him, join him. It’s awesome to have you here.

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Speaker 1: By the way, we were both excited when coach enticed

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Speaker 1: you to come in here to handle the RB room.

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Speaker 1: How excited are you to be in the Chiefs kingdom?

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Speaker 3: I’m extremely excited. You know, this is obviously a big

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Speaker 3: opportunity to obviously learn from, you know, one of the

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Speaker 3: best head coaches, if not the best, and Coach Reid,

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Speaker 3: and obviously I’m having coach being me back here. So

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Speaker 3: I’m extremely excited and blessed with this opportunity, and you know,

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Speaker 3: I can’t wait to get the work.

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Speaker 2: You signed on in mid February, I think, and then

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Speaker 2: about a month later we signed Ken Walker. How’d you

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Speaker 2: find out about that? What was your initial reaction?

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Speaker 4: Excited?

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Speaker 3: Just like everyone else, you know, I was extremely excited

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Speaker 3: just the type of a player he is, you know,

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Speaker 3: the type of caliber of a worker he is and

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Speaker 3: again very dynamic and explosive. And again Beach has done

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Speaker 3: a great job and obviously the rest of that the

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Speaker 3: personnel department, they’ve done a really good job of getting

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Speaker 3: them here.

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Speaker 4: And you know, we’re excited to have him.

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Speaker 1: This offense and running back in this offense. What are

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Speaker 1: your learning about that specifically.

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Speaker 3: Well, you got to be to do a lot of

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Speaker 3: different things. So again, versatility is one thing that you

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Speaker 3: know comes to minor off the rip, and obviously protection

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Speaker 3: is number one. You know, you want to protect the

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Speaker 3: best quarterback in the league. And you know, for us,

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Speaker 3: we want to be able to run the ball between

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Speaker 3: the tackles and again get back to being a physical

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Speaker 3: running group up front. And you know it starts with

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Speaker 3: the obviously the offense line, but you know, for me,

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Speaker 3: the running back has to do a lot of things.

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Speaker 3: And again I’m excited to learn, have been learning from

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Speaker 3: the coaching staff and again just going over the he

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Speaker 3: evaluates from a year ago. Man, we’re excited and again

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Speaker 3: I can’t wait to get to work with the guys.

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Speaker 3: But again, learning everything has been awesome.

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Speaker 2: You mentioned coach b Enemy, what was it about eb

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Speaker 2: that you wanted to be here? And learn from him.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I’m very familiar with him obviously, you know,

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Speaker 3: being a former runner back, and you know, you look

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Speaker 3: at a lot of the coaches and have always been

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Speaker 3: a fan of him, and you know the product that

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Speaker 3: he’s put out on the field at the position. So

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Speaker 3: I knew knew him, didn’t know him personally before I

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Speaker 3: got the job. But again, he just incised you with

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Speaker 3: obviously his demeanor, with how he teaches, and again his

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Speaker 3: communication has been really good, you know, for us as

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Speaker 3: a as a staff. But you know, and again most importantly,

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Speaker 3: you know, the toughness and things of that nature. The

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Speaker 3: mindset that he brings to the table, you know, from

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Speaker 3: a player’s perspective, but now a coaching perspective, it’s it’s

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Speaker 3: it’s awesome to be a part of it.

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Speaker 2: I think I read somewhere that he tried recruiting you

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Speaker 2: way back in the day. You ended up going to Oklahoma.

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Speaker 2: But you give you a hard time about that.

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Speaker 3: I’m a little bit back in the days, you know,

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Speaker 3: I was. I was wanting to get out out away

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Speaker 3: from the West Coast. So I want to go to Oklahoma,

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Speaker 3: and obviously not UCLA at the time.

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Speaker 4: I want to get away from it. But he was great.

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Speaker 2: That’s awesome.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, good Vegas guy here, demarc I want to ask you, though,

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Speaker 1: because your career interesting, phenomenal at University of Oklahoma, then

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Speaker 1: you exploded in thirteen and then you went nuts in

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Speaker 1: fourteen you became the best guy in the league. How

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Speaker 1: much of that climb can you use in teaching the

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Speaker 1: guys in that RB room and what it takes to

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Speaker 1: be an NFL running back as supposed to be and

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Speaker 1: just give me the ball and I’ll run zone reads.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I think most importantly you kind of you have

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Speaker 3: to learn, you know, the why about the game, about

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Speaker 3: the play. And for me, that’s when my career, you know,

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Speaker 3: took an exponential turn to being you know, solid to

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Speaker 3: really good. And you know, because I stayed a little later,

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Speaker 3: took care of my body and again, all of those

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Speaker 3: things are important for a guy who wants to be

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Speaker 3: you know, their every single play, you know, not just

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Speaker 3: for first and second down. But if you’re a competitor,

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Speaker 3: which I know a lot of these guys are, you

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Speaker 3: want to be you know, on the field every chance

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Speaker 3: you get, every opportunity you get. So for me, I

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Speaker 3: have to take my game to another level as far

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Speaker 3: as learning the protection, learning why the offense was doing

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Speaker 3: and making certain calls, learning what the quarterback was doing,

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Speaker 3: and learning what the receivers were doing. The depths and

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Speaker 3: things of that nature, and everything kind of times up

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Speaker 3: and flows together. So for me, I had a you know,

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Speaker 3: a really good group group of veteran players with Jason

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Speaker 3: Whitt and Tony Romo, Miles Austin, a lot of great

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Speaker 3: teammates and obviously Jason Garrett, which you know taught us

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Speaker 3: the why. You know, so I knew for me if

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Speaker 3: I want to continue to stay and you know, be productive,

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Speaker 3: you know, because there’s a lot of playmakers on that team.

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Speaker 3: So you know, what can I do differently and help

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Speaker 3: this team? You know, whether it’s you know, bring some

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Speaker 3: great energy, protecting the quarterback, catching the ball in space,

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Speaker 3: and again using my versatility to help this team any

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Speaker 3: way that I can. So ultimately that’s that’s the case

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Speaker 3: for me. Just want to know the why and then

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Speaker 3: what’s about the bigger pitch and again help these guys

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Speaker 3: do the same thing.

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Speaker 2: How did your time at Oklahoma as a coach prepare

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Speaker 2: you for this moment?

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Speaker 4: Tremendously?

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Speaker 3: You know, Oklahoma is a place where I’ve been extremely

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Speaker 3: fortunate to be the last six years as home for

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Speaker 3: me and my family. And you know, having obviously coach

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Speaker 3: Riley and then coach Venables and Jeff Leby and those

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Speaker 3: type of guys who you know, helped me prepare myself

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Speaker 3: for this moment. And again I couldn’t thank those guys enough.

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Speaker 3: But again mentally, physically, emotionally, you know, I wouldn’t be

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Speaker 3: here without the University of Oklahoma.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, Venables, I called those games in college wired.

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Speaker 2: Like way hot, pretty intense.

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Speaker 5: Man.

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Speaker 1: This leads to a point because he was a linebacker

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Speaker 1: in college. So RB versus LB one on one, it

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Speaker 1: can’t I always let tell everybody watch it. Don’t go

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Speaker 1: watch this, you gotta watch Rby’s versus LB’s because it

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Speaker 1: leads to pass protection. Yes, you already alluded to it.

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Speaker 1: But how many guys cannot make it in this league

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Speaker 1: because they cannot pass protect? And how much of that

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Speaker 1: will be your emphasis with this team?

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Speaker 3: I think that’s the biggest emphasis. You know, whenever you’re

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Speaker 3: talking about the position running back, you got to protect

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Speaker 3: the quarterback.

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Speaker 4: That is number one.

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Speaker 3: Obviously we love what you can do with the ball,

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Speaker 3: but you got to protect the guy who’s leading the

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Speaker 3: charge and our leader, and especially again for us, it’s

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Speaker 3: the best one in the business. So that’s stay one.

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Speaker 3: That’s the most important thing for us. And you know,

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Speaker 3: so it’s going to be emphasized extremely high. And again

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Speaker 3: it’s my job to make sure that they know, you know,

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Speaker 3: why that is and how to do those things. And again,

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Speaker 3: you got to build them up from the from the

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Speaker 3: ground up. So again excited to obviously teach these guys

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Speaker 3: and watch them and you know, obviously watching the film

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Speaker 3: a year ago, you know, there’s some things that we

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Speaker 3: got to do much better. And and it just starts

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Speaker 3: with the technique and the fundamentals of things. And again,

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Speaker 3: most importantly, I think just the understanding of who’s coming,

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Speaker 3: who’s not coming, and just learning basic fundamentals in forest

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Speaker 3: protection itself.

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Speaker 2: So we’re excited about Walker, obviously, I’m excited about Amori Timark.

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Speaker 2: Cardell also excited about Burchard Smith, who did some really

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Speaker 2: nice things toward the end of last year. When you

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Speaker 2: have a young player like this who I really kind

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Speaker 2: of showed what he could do toward the end of

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Speaker 2: last season, how much fun is that as a coach

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Speaker 2: to kind of mold him and build him up.

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Speaker 4: Oh, it’s extremely fun.

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Speaker 1: You know.

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Speaker 3: Again there’s gonna be challenges, but I’m looking forward to

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Speaker 3: and I know he hadn’t had a lot of time

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Speaker 3: at the position. But again, everyone that I’ve talked in

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Speaker 3: this building, they’re extremely excited about him. His work ethic,

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Speaker 3: his versatility, and again what he can do when the

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Speaker 3: ball is in his hands. And I think for him

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Speaker 3: not having the background of being and running back, you know,

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Speaker 3: that’s where my job comes in very important to you know,

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Speaker 3: spend some extra time with him and again just develop him,

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Speaker 3: you know, from eyes to hands, to feet and things

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Speaker 3: of that nature. He’s already a really good athlete, so

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Speaker 3: again there’s just some things to add to his tool

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Speaker 3: built to help him, you know, become a better running back.

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Speaker 1: Finally, question as a receiver, I mean you had we

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Speaker 1: look at the eighteen forty vitrel said four hundred receiving

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Speaker 1: yards that year. You had two thousand all purpose yards

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Speaker 1: in twenty fourteen. Circles, angles, wheels, chips and releases. The

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Speaker 1: ability for a running back in this offense to be

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Speaker 1: an effective or an explosive pass receiver, Well, I.

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Speaker 3: Think most importantly you got to identify pressure. You know,

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Speaker 3: when there is a chance to get out and get

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Speaker 3: into space, you want to do that fast and efficient.

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Speaker 3: And again that’s where teaching it comes. That’s where studying

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Speaker 3: film and obviously understanding what the defense can it can’t

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Speaker 3: do first and foremost. But then when you do have

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Speaker 3: those opportunities on which again we want to do those

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Speaker 3: at our backs. And again our guys are more than

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Speaker 3: capable because of their athletic ability. And again having matchups

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Speaker 3: with linebackers and safeties and things of that nature. It’s

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Speaker 3: all about angles, all about leverage and things of that nature.

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Speaker 3: So again playing with great leverage, playing fast set and

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Speaker 3: resetting and things of that nature. But again, ultimately you

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Speaker 3: got to create space, you know, for the quarterback.

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Speaker 4: And again I believe we have some guys that can

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Speaker 4: do that.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, we’re fired up about running with it with our

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Speaker 1: new running backs coach. You know him well, DeMarco Murray. Okay,

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Speaker 1: super impressive guy to Marco Murray, knew about him, didn’t

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Speaker 1: really know him. He and I know a lot of

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Speaker 1: same people. But that’s an impressive cat. And to have

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Speaker 1: him with when you look at you know, having him

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Speaker 1: with Eric b Enemy who’s got the running back background.

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Speaker 1: To Marco alluded to it, I just see great things

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Speaker 1: from the running backs in twenty twenty six.

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Speaker 2: Some people just have like an aura of leadership around them,

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Speaker 2: Like when they speak, you listen and you want to

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Speaker 2: hear what they have to say, and you’re going to

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Speaker 2: follow that person. In the ten minutes that we have

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Speaker 2: with the Marco Murray, I am fully on board.

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Speaker 4: With that guy.

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Speaker 2: Firm handshake, looks you right in the eye, and I

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Speaker 2: believe that he is going to get this running back

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Speaker 2: room going and as one of the best running back

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Speaker 2: rooms in the NFL next year because of what he

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Speaker 2: can bring. I mean, when you have the talent that

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Speaker 2: we have in that room now, and you have a

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Speaker 2: leader like him who I think is going to get

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Speaker 2: the best out of every single member of a running

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Speaker 2: back room exciting. So yeah, I’m fired up. He comes

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Speaker 2: from a place in Oklahoma where there are some coaches

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Speaker 2: there that love football and they are intense and they

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Speaker 2: are all football. He learned from them. He’s going to

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Speaker 2: bring that here.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, and his career an intelligent, talented, humble, you know,

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Speaker 1: physical presence. He’s going to try to bring all that

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Speaker 1: too to the Kansas City Chiefs be fun to see

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Speaker 1: what happens there. It’s also going to be fun to

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Speaker 1: see what happens with an emerging sport, and it’s girls

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Speaker 1: flag football. We have seen it in the pro level,

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Speaker 1: we’re looking at it for girls in advanced ages. Now

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Speaker 1: we’re starting to see it really grow and mentioned exponentially

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Speaker 1: with the high school age or middle school age girls.

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Speaker 1: And so coming up the month of April is very

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Speaker 1: important the state of Kansas because they will be voting

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Speaker 1: on sanctioning girls flag football as a varsity sport throughout

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Speaker 1: the Sunflower State. Exciting to see the growth of the sport,

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Speaker 1: but also what it could do in this region, not

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Speaker 1: just in Kansas, but let’s say Kansas specifically in the

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Speaker 1: next thirty days.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it’s so cool that if you think

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Speaker 2: about football as a whole, the sport of football, its

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Speaker 2: growth over the last forty years, it goes from being

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Speaker 2: a sport on par with others, maybe looking up at baseball,

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Speaker 2: looking up at basketball, to being like America’s game, right,

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Speaker 2: and that’s continuing to grow exponentially, and we’re seeing it

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Speaker 2: now where everybody wants to play football and to have

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Speaker 2: an opportunity for girls throughout our country that want to

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Speaker 2: play football to have a chance to go and play

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Speaker 2: it is really cool. And seventeen states have sanctioned this

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Speaker 2: as a high school sport across the country. Kansas has

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Speaker 2: a chance to be the next one with his vote

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Speaker 2: coming up. And as we’ll hear from Shila, it’s a

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Speaker 2: really great opportunity for our region and for the thousands

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Speaker 2: of people that just want to play football to have

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Speaker 2: an opportunity to do so.

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Speaker 1: And I’ll say this, Kansas has a history of being

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Speaker 1: very proactive in referencing women’s athletics. My wife played Division

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Speaker 1: one sports in the state. Uh, and my daughter was

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Speaker 1: an athlete in this state. My granddaughter has played flag

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Speaker 1: and it’s great coach and so she had, you know,

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Speaker 1: their plays on the wristband with the laminated sheets, so

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Speaker 1: they’re called they’re calling the plays a number. And so

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Speaker 1: the fact that then when my granddaughter goes to a

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Speaker 1: Chiefs game and sees the same thing, uh, it’s it’s

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Speaker 1: just awesome because it is it is the ultimate kind

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Speaker 1: of teamwork game. There’s no sport like football. In my opinion,

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Speaker 1: you have to work in concert. It’s the same in flag.

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Speaker 1: It’s not if not all of the other gals guys

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Speaker 1: if they’re playing it. If they don’t do their job,

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Speaker 1: the play breaks down and they all have to look

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Speaker 1: at their play to go here’s what I’m supposed to do.

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Speaker 1: That’s why I think if girls, we know, girls flag

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Speaker 1: football is exploding. But why such a positive thing to

420
00:20:01,280 –> 00:20:05,359
Speaker 1: understand the unique and special nature of football in specific.

421
00:20:05,640 –> 00:20:07,480
Speaker 2: So when she’s looking at her plays on our wrist,

422
00:20:07,560 –> 00:20:09,000
Speaker 2: are you just bursting with pride?

423
00:20:09,000 –> 00:20:09,479
Speaker 1: Pretty much?

424
00:20:09,560 –> 00:20:09,760
Speaker 4: Yeah?

425
00:20:09,800 –> 00:20:12,320
Speaker 2: Are you just combusting the thin air? That’s got to

426
00:20:12,359 –> 00:20:14,200
Speaker 2: be so cool watching her love football?

427
00:20:14,359 –> 00:20:16,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, it’s great and sorry, you know, and then see

428
00:20:16,680 –> 00:20:19,240
Speaker 1: your America play on the offense or defense. Yeah, she’s

429
00:20:19,320 –> 00:20:22,760
Speaker 1: fun to watch. But I love the organization of it.

430
00:20:22,800 –> 00:20:24,840
Speaker 1: I love the teamwork of it. I love the camaraderie

431
00:20:24,880 –> 00:20:27,360
Speaker 1: of it. And she has learned I have my job

432
00:20:27,440 –> 00:20:30,119
Speaker 1: to do, but it’s only part of a job of

433
00:20:30,119 –> 00:20:33,000
Speaker 1: the other six girls playing flag at this point, and

434
00:20:33,119 –> 00:20:35,800
Speaker 1: it all kind of works together much like an orchestra.

435
00:20:36,560 –> 00:20:41,040
Speaker 1: So anyway, Sila Sikau is with us at the Kansas

436
00:20:41,040 –> 00:20:43,840
Speaker 1: City Chiefs and she is on point, leading the way

437
00:20:44,280 –> 00:20:47,560
Speaker 1: and trying to get girls flag football sanctioned in Kansas, Okay.

438
00:20:47,600 –> 00:20:50,480
Speaker 1: We continue with this episode of Defending the Kingdom, which

439
00:20:50,480 –> 00:20:53,879
Speaker 1: we’re calling a run with It. We heard from DeMarco Murray,

440
00:20:54,520 –> 00:20:57,199
Speaker 1: the Chief’s new running back coach, which most of you

441
00:20:57,320 –> 00:21:00,720
Speaker 1: remember as the great running back for the Dallas Cowboys

442
00:21:00,760 –> 00:21:03,320
Speaker 1: primarily but also at some time with the Eagles and Titans.

443
00:21:03,359 –> 00:21:06,800
Speaker 1: But now we continue with a run with it. Let

444
00:21:06,840 –> 00:21:09,959
Speaker 1: her play, so to speak. Something very exciting is happening

445
00:21:10,000 –> 00:21:12,359
Speaker 1: in my home state of Kansas, and that is the

446
00:21:12,359 –> 00:21:16,240
Speaker 1: potential for adding girls flag football as a sanchin high

447
00:21:16,280 –> 00:21:21,320
Speaker 1: school sport. And we’re bringing in now Sheila Sikou, who’s

448
00:21:21,359 –> 00:21:24,960
Speaker 1: been a longtime staple here with the Kansas City Chiefs

449
00:21:24,960 –> 00:21:30,880
Speaker 1: and the Chiefs Kingdom, who is leading this development as

450
00:21:30,960 –> 00:21:34,359
Speaker 1: Football Development Director director. What do we got. I’m going

451
00:21:34,400 –> 00:21:36,919
Speaker 1: to give you a promotion. We just give you so

452
00:21:37,320 –> 00:21:40,840
Speaker 1: it might as well be right, Yeah sure, the Colts

453
00:21:40,840 –> 00:21:44,439
Speaker 1: column commissioners so well, yeah no, you’ve worked so very

454
00:21:44,480 –> 00:21:47,240
Speaker 1: hard on this, but it’s exciting to see. Let’s start,

455
00:21:47,680 –> 00:21:52,719
Speaker 1: first of all, just the almost exponential growth of girls

456
00:21:52,760 –> 00:21:53,880
Speaker 1: and women’s flag football.

457
00:21:54,359 –> 00:21:56,679
Speaker 5: It’s insane. I don’t think you can turn on the

458
00:21:56,720 –> 00:22:00,520
Speaker 5: TV without seeing commercial from the NFL, NFL Flag USA,

459
00:22:00,560 –> 00:22:04,359
Speaker 5: football come across your feed, especially with the NFL pushing

460
00:22:04,359 –> 00:22:06,919
Speaker 5: it in the recent change of Pro Bowl from it

461
00:22:06,960 –> 00:22:10,159
Speaker 5: as well. And then obviously the emphasis right now is

462
00:22:10,160 –> 00:22:12,920
Speaker 5: on girls and women getting the same opportunity to play

463
00:22:12,920 –> 00:22:15,840
Speaker 5: football that men have had growing up.

464
00:22:16,440 –> 00:22:19,720
Speaker 2: So some pretty amazing numbers here. So I think half

465
00:22:19,720 –> 00:22:22,840
Speaker 2: a million girls between the ages of six and seventeen

466
00:22:23,240 –> 00:22:25,879
Speaker 2: are participating in flag football across the country, which I

467
00:22:25,920 –> 00:22:29,080
Speaker 2: think is incredible. Participation is up one hundred and sixty

468
00:22:29,080 –> 00:22:32,639
Speaker 2: three percent in Kansas alone, and getting it sanctioned is

469
00:22:32,640 –> 00:22:34,560
Speaker 2: what we’re talking about right now. But the Chiefs have

470
00:22:34,600 –> 00:22:36,600
Speaker 2: also done a lot of things behind the scenes right

471
00:22:36,680 –> 00:22:39,000
Speaker 2: over the last several years trying to create this growth.

472
00:22:39,119 –> 00:22:41,399
Speaker 5: Yes, before we kind of stepped in, it was what

473
00:22:41,480 –> 00:22:43,800
Speaker 5: everybody knows is powder puff that you would see here

474
00:22:43,880 –> 00:22:46,119
Speaker 5: and there at high school games for the juniors and

475
00:22:46,200 –> 00:22:49,440
Speaker 5: seniors to compete in. And so what kind of happened

476
00:22:49,480 –> 00:22:52,280
Speaker 5: back in twenty twenty twenty twenty one is the KCAC

477
00:22:52,440 –> 00:22:55,359
Speaker 5: and the NAI was an all rural flag football season.

478
00:22:55,920 –> 00:22:58,239
Speaker 5: I was down at Ottawa University helping out start up

479
00:22:58,240 –> 00:23:01,520
Speaker 5: that program, and we saw this missing puzzle piece that

480
00:23:01,600 –> 00:23:05,120
Speaker 5: we had youth girls flag programs and now collegian opportunities

481
00:23:05,119 –> 00:23:07,760
Speaker 5: and scholarships for these girls, but they weren’t able to

482
00:23:07,760 –> 00:23:10,320
Speaker 5: play in high school. So at that moment was when

483
00:23:10,320 –> 00:23:12,280
Speaker 5: we kind of shifted the focus and saw what other

484
00:23:12,320 –> 00:23:15,440
Speaker 5: teams were doing across the country and promoting flag football.

485
00:23:15,800 –> 00:23:17,840
Speaker 5: And so my coordinator Abby Brown and I at the

486
00:23:17,880 –> 00:23:20,960
Speaker 5: time started going in and sitting with athletic directors and

487
00:23:21,160 –> 00:23:24,520
Speaker 5: principals district level and saying, this is what we can

488
00:23:24,560 –> 00:23:27,040
Speaker 5: do to bring flag football to your school and try

489
00:23:27,040 –> 00:23:28,720
Speaker 5: to making it as turnkey as possible.

490
00:23:29,520 –> 00:23:33,040
Speaker 1: It’s interesting, Let’s take the KCAC eleven teams now in

491
00:23:33,080 –> 00:23:37,639
Speaker 1: that league and so a leader because we’re seeing some

492
00:23:37,680 –> 00:23:41,439
Speaker 1: Division one club teams and Vision two, but the KCAC

493
00:23:41,640 –> 00:23:43,359
Speaker 1: is almost the leader in the country. It’s right here

494
00:23:43,359 –> 00:23:45,720
Speaker 1: in the epicenter of the Chief Kingdom. We have William

495
00:23:45,760 –> 00:23:49,240
Speaker 1: Woods in Fulton, Missouri. We’ve got Graceland at Lamona, Iowa.

496
00:23:49,320 –> 00:23:53,119
Speaker 1: We’ve got the Kansas Schools Southwestern and Kansas Westland, Heston Baker.

497
00:23:53,119 –> 00:23:56,320
Speaker 1: Don’t leave anybody out here. You mentioned Ottawau, Saint Mary

498
00:23:56,359 –> 00:23:58,600
Speaker 1: and Levenworth. So it’s right here in the Chief Kingdom.

499
00:23:58,960 –> 00:24:02,120
Speaker 1: So it’s what about that and the fact that there’s

500
00:24:02,280 –> 00:24:05,280
Speaker 1: some momentum at the collegiate level that with the Chief

501
00:24:05,359 –> 00:24:06,440
Speaker 1: Kingdom as the epicenter.

502
00:24:07,040 –> 00:24:10,000
Speaker 5: It’s amazing but very unique positions. So when I was

503
00:24:10,000 –> 00:24:12,639
Speaker 5: with Ottawa starting up, we had to be recruiting girls

504
00:24:12,680 –> 00:24:15,040
Speaker 5: from outside of the state to come in that had

505
00:24:15,080 –> 00:24:17,160
Speaker 5: experienced So at that time, it was only three state

506
00:24:17,240 –> 00:24:20,919
Speaker 5: sanctioned Florida, Nevada, and ironically Alaska has been one of

507
00:24:20,960 –> 00:24:24,159
Speaker 5: the longest sanctioned sports. So we were having to go

508
00:24:24,280 –> 00:24:27,520
Speaker 5: outside to bring girls to Kansas instead of being able

509
00:24:27,520 –> 00:24:30,280
Speaker 5: to offer scholarships that girls have been playing flag football

510
00:24:30,280 –> 00:24:33,600
Speaker 5: in our backyards. So just shifting that narrative of we

511
00:24:33,680 –> 00:24:35,680
Speaker 5: have girls that want to play this in our backyard,

512
00:24:35,880 –> 00:24:37,879
Speaker 5: we have to give them the program to then be

513
00:24:37,960 –> 00:24:40,840
Speaker 5: able to fill these rosters in the colleges surrounding us.

514
00:24:41,359 –> 00:24:44,320
Speaker 2: And following up on that, why is sanctioning so important?

515
00:24:44,359 –> 00:24:46,600
Speaker 2: Why does that provide the resources to create what you’re

516
00:24:46,600 –> 00:24:47,200
Speaker 2: talking about.

517
00:24:47,320 –> 00:24:51,119
Speaker 5: It’s going from club level to varsity level, so the

518
00:24:51,160 –> 00:24:55,159
Speaker 5: validity recognition throughout it. It’s a different saying that I

519
00:24:55,240 –> 00:24:58,000
Speaker 5: won my five a state champion at flag football to

520
00:24:58,240 –> 00:25:02,080
Speaker 5: I won the club against club football flag football, but

521
00:25:02,720 –> 00:25:05,520
Speaker 5: it gives it that validity, the same honor and empowerment

522
00:25:05,600 –> 00:25:08,000
Speaker 5: and confidence that I play for my varsity soccer team,

523
00:25:08,160 –> 00:25:10,399
Speaker 5: I play for my varsity basketball team for high school.

524
00:25:10,720 –> 00:25:14,040
Speaker 5: Imagine saying I play for varsity flag football, as well

525
00:25:14,040 –> 00:25:16,639
Speaker 5: as all the other benefits of the state recognizing it,

526
00:25:16,880 –> 00:25:21,439
Speaker 5: officials having to be certified with the state, funding with jerseys,

527
00:25:21,760 –> 00:25:24,359
Speaker 5: and then again the state championship recognition at the end

528
00:25:24,400 –> 00:25:24,879
Speaker 5: of the season.

529
00:25:25,080 –> 00:25:28,000
Speaker 1: Yeah, I don’t want to leave Midland out here in Midland, Nebraska.

530
00:25:28,040 –> 00:25:28,600
Speaker 5: I know you are.

531
00:25:30,440 –> 00:25:32,480
Speaker 2: Trying to think looking at the ceiling at night, like

532
00:25:32,480 –> 00:25:33,320
Speaker 2: I forgot Midland.

533
00:25:34,000 –> 00:25:37,960
Speaker 1: Matt’s probably Matt’s favorite team. Katti College in Nevada, missouries them.

534
00:25:37,960 –> 00:25:42,000
Speaker 1: They’re one of the Javada Invader and they’re in the Cojah. Yeah. Yeah,

535
00:25:42,040 –> 00:25:45,040
Speaker 1: So it’s awesome to see eleven team league right here

536
00:25:45,040 –> 00:25:49,240
Speaker 1: in our backyard. Collegiately in Kansas and growing up in

537
00:25:49,240 –> 00:25:51,880
Speaker 1: the state, I’ve seen them be a pioneer in women’s athletics.

538
00:25:51,920 –> 00:25:55,960
Speaker 1: They’ve just added in twenty twenty girls wrestling and it’s exploded.

539
00:25:56,600 –> 00:25:56,840
Speaker 2: Uh.

540
00:25:56,880 –> 00:25:59,320
Speaker 1: And then I was looking at the Olympians down through

541
00:25:59,320 –> 00:26:04,040
Speaker 1: the years from Kansas high schools who became Olympic golden

542
00:26:04,080 –> 00:26:07,040
Speaker 1: medalists and medal winners. So how is this the next

543
00:26:07,080 –> 00:26:10,320
Speaker 1: step maybe for Kansas to add this sport and have

544
00:26:10,440 –> 00:26:11,080
Speaker 1: it sanctioned.

545
00:26:11,359 –> 00:26:14,120
Speaker 5: It’s absolutely the next step exactly what you just said

546
00:26:14,200 –> 00:26:16,560
Speaker 5: with the Olympics coming up. In flag football being a

547
00:26:16,560 –> 00:26:20,359
Speaker 5: twenty twenty eight sport. How amazing would his story be

548
00:26:20,880 –> 00:26:22,960
Speaker 5: if a girl started in our Chiefs Flight Football League,

549
00:26:23,160 –> 00:26:24,879
Speaker 5: played at her high school that we helped get off

550
00:26:24,920 –> 00:26:28,760
Speaker 5: the ground, got a scholarship to otto our Midland or

551
00:26:28,960 –> 00:26:32,600
Speaker 5: in Kansas. Wesley and Kattie and we’ve all kind of

552
00:26:32,640 –> 00:26:34,600
Speaker 5: seen the news of the NFL Pro League coming out,

553
00:26:34,640 –> 00:26:37,280
Speaker 5: so either going that route or then having the opportunity

554
00:26:37,560 –> 00:26:41,280
Speaker 5: to represent Kansas in the Olympics. So really just trying

555
00:26:41,320 –> 00:26:44,200
Speaker 5: to create that whole pathway for a female athlete in

556
00:26:44,280 –> 00:26:47,760
Speaker 5: Kansas to follow whatever dream she has in playing football.

557
00:26:47,960 –> 00:26:49,879
Speaker 2: So the vote is on April twenty third. It’s not

558
00:26:49,920 –> 00:26:51,800
Speaker 2: a public vote. Tell us about how it works and

559
00:26:51,800 –> 00:26:53,560
Speaker 2: how people can still get involved that they want to.

560
00:26:53,760 –> 00:26:56,520
Speaker 5: Absolutely, so it is not a public vote. It’ll be

561
00:26:56,640 –> 00:27:01,520
Speaker 5: seventy plus board members from the Kasia Athletic Association voting

562
00:27:01,560 –> 00:27:04,679
Speaker 5: on it. But what you can do is let your

563
00:27:04,760 –> 00:27:06,679
Speaker 5: voice be heard in support in a way that we

564
00:27:06,680 –> 00:27:09,120
Speaker 5: can bring numbers to the board by signing our position

565
00:27:09,320 –> 00:27:13,159
Speaker 5: that just dropped this morning on chiefs dot com backsplash

566
00:27:13,240 –> 00:27:15,800
Speaker 5: let her play. So we’ll be compiling those numbers and

567
00:27:15,800 –> 00:27:17,639
Speaker 5: then taking them to the state board to say this

568
00:27:17,680 –> 00:27:20,800
Speaker 5: is how many people in Kansas want to see flight

569
00:27:20,800 –> 00:27:22,080
Speaker 5: football as a varsity sport.

570
00:27:22,560 –> 00:27:23,320
Speaker 2: So you can do that.

571
00:27:23,480 –> 00:27:26,240
Speaker 5: Also just talking about it, because you don’t know whose

572
00:27:26,359 –> 00:27:29,000
Speaker 5: daughter doesn’t know that this is available. So if I

573
00:27:29,119 –> 00:27:30,840
Speaker 5: talked to Mitch about it and then he goes talks

574
00:27:30,880 –> 00:27:33,040
Speaker 5: to his friend who has a daughter that’s been wanting

575
00:27:33,080 –> 00:27:36,080
Speaker 5: to play, and just that ripple effect of conversation and

576
00:27:36,200 –> 00:27:38,520
Speaker 5: just keep it alive and growing in Kansas.

577
00:27:38,880 –> 00:27:42,480
Speaker 1: Yeah, my granddaughter’s already played it, playing it no surprise,

578
00:27:42,720 –> 00:27:44,920
Speaker 1: but you know, I kept my wife was we got

579
00:27:44,960 –> 00:27:47,960
Speaker 1: to get a Division one athlete and early in the

580
00:27:48,040 –> 00:27:51,080
Speaker 1: days of case state. But I’m fascinated with the state

581
00:27:51,119 –> 00:27:53,560
Speaker 1: of Kansas. I love it, every part of it. Missouri’s

582
00:27:53,560 –> 00:27:57,960
Speaker 1: same and it’s already sanctioned, or at least they’re considering

583
00:27:58,000 –> 00:28:01,280
Speaker 1: sanctioning in neighboring states. I’m glad you brought that up.

584
00:28:02,200 –> 00:28:04,680
Speaker 5: Missouri is the closest one, so we actually have more

585
00:28:04,720 –> 00:28:07,960
Speaker 5: schools that we are. They started a year before Kansas,

586
00:28:08,119 –> 00:28:10,720
Speaker 5: so we’remez at fifty five schools over there this spring,

587
00:28:10,880 –> 00:28:13,720
Speaker 5: having a season that we’ve been supporting since twenty twenty

588
00:28:13,760 –> 00:28:17,280
Speaker 5: one twenty twenty two. They are at emerging sports status,

589
00:28:17,280 –> 00:28:20,080
Speaker 5: so they have a different sanctioning process, so they also

590
00:28:20,080 –> 00:28:22,520
Speaker 5: have a timeline to it, where Kansas we just kind

591
00:28:22,520 –> 00:28:25,119
Speaker 5: of had to hit a certain number of schools, So

592
00:28:25,240 –> 00:28:28,320
Speaker 5: Missouri is well on the way to sanctioning status, and

593
00:28:28,359 –> 00:28:33,720
Speaker 5: then once Kansas hopefully votes yes, will be kind of

594
00:28:33,760 –> 00:28:36,520
Speaker 5: bumping up to Nebraska and starting up school programs up

595
00:28:36,560 –> 00:28:36,920
Speaker 5: there too.

596
00:28:37,200 –> 00:28:40,520
Speaker 2: Cool. You’re obviously very passionate about this. Where’s that passion

597
00:28:40,560 –> 00:28:40,960
Speaker 2: come from?

598
00:28:41,000 –> 00:28:41,200
Speaker 1: For this?

599
00:28:42,320 –> 00:28:45,400
Speaker 5: Literally living my childhood dream that I didn’t even think

600
00:28:45,800 –> 00:28:47,880
Speaker 5: that I could be doing this, but from the little

601
00:28:47,880 –> 00:28:50,040
Speaker 5: girl that would ride her bike up to elementary school

602
00:28:50,040 –> 00:28:51,720
Speaker 5: to play football with all the boys and get told no.

603
00:28:52,600 –> 00:28:54,479
Speaker 5: Go into middle school and wanting to play football and

604
00:28:54,520 –> 00:28:57,080
Speaker 5: say no, you can go play soccer. I joke that

605
00:28:57,080 –> 00:29:01,480
Speaker 5: I hold very long grudges. Blessed to have the opportunity

606
00:29:02,080 –> 00:29:03,720
Speaker 5: to change that pathway in future for.

607
00:29:03,680 –> 00:29:08,840
Speaker 1: Girls participation because one of the discussions would be, gosh,

608
00:29:08,840 –> 00:29:11,160
Speaker 1: we already have a lot of women’s sports now that

609
00:29:11,280 –> 00:29:14,440
Speaker 1: and the consolidation perhaps a smaller schools. We already see

610
00:29:14,480 –> 00:29:17,280
Speaker 1: it in Kansas, we see it in some of the

611
00:29:17,280 –> 00:29:20,800
Speaker 1: lower level of guys football, and Matt knows I love

612
00:29:20,840 –> 00:29:23,480
Speaker 1: it from six eight to six man and through the

613
00:29:23,520 –> 00:29:26,720
Speaker 1: whole state. But what about the potential of schools perhaps

614
00:29:26,840 –> 00:29:31,680
Speaker 1: consolidating or even weekend jam Berez where there’s several schools

615
00:29:31,680 –> 00:29:34,240
Speaker 1: that get together in Hayz or Salina or Garden City

616
00:29:34,600 –> 00:29:35,960
Speaker 1: and basically have a tournament.

617
00:29:36,160 –> 00:29:37,640
Speaker 5: I love it, and you and I have talked about

618
00:29:37,640 –> 00:29:42,080
Speaker 5: this before. In Kansas was creative and fully supporting of

619
00:29:42,160 –> 00:29:45,040
Speaker 5: eight man six man. You can be creative and supportant

620
00:29:45,040 –> 00:29:47,000
Speaker 5: of like football in different ways as well of bringing

621
00:29:47,040 –> 00:29:49,400
Speaker 5: the smaller schools together to create a team. But I

622
00:29:49,440 –> 00:29:51,120
Speaker 5: think a lot of these schools would also be surprised

623
00:29:51,120 –> 00:29:53,040
Speaker 5: about the numbers that come out. I was just talking

624
00:29:53,040 –> 00:29:56,080
Speaker 5: to a coach in Missouri. The whole school has four

625
00:29:56,160 –> 00:29:58,880
Speaker 5: hundred and twenty five kids, two hundred and fifty girls.

626
00:29:59,320 –> 00:30:00,960
Speaker 5: Fifty two girls came out to try out for the

627
00:30:01,000 –> 00:30:03,400
Speaker 5: flag football team. Wow, So it was almost twenty five

628
00:30:03,440 –> 00:30:07,200
Speaker 5: percent of the female population wanting try flag. But coming

629
00:30:07,200 –> 00:30:10,480
Speaker 5: together in schools, we can problem solve in jamboree flag football.

630
00:30:10,920 –> 00:30:13,719
Speaker 5: There’s a lot of misconceptions about it, and you automatically

631
00:30:13,760 –> 00:30:16,920
Speaker 5: think the commitment of a tackle football program, but it’s

632
00:30:16,960 –> 00:30:20,920
Speaker 5: not at shorter games, smaller field, less girls on the

633
00:30:21,000 –> 00:30:24,000
Speaker 5: roster in itself, and less equipment. So what we’ve been

634
00:30:24,000 –> 00:30:27,000
Speaker 5: doing is jamboree style. So one team host and then

635
00:30:27,080 –> 00:30:29,120
Speaker 5: four other schools come in and you kind of do

636
00:30:29,160 –> 00:30:32,240
Speaker 5: two three games on one day to get that schedule in.

637
00:30:32,680 –> 00:30:34,840
Speaker 1: But how exciting is that? It’s like a festival.

638
00:30:35,080 –> 00:30:37,040
Speaker 5: It is, and the vibes are always so high, and

639
00:30:37,120 –> 00:30:40,640
Speaker 5: these girls, the rivalries are starting, and especially the Kansas

640
00:30:40,680 –> 00:30:43,680
Speaker 5: City public schools going against each other. It’s amazing to

641
00:30:43,680 –> 00:30:44,959
Speaker 5: see when you can come out and watch it.

642
00:30:45,560 –> 00:30:47,760
Speaker 2: So, looking back to when you first got involved with

643
00:30:47,840 –> 00:30:50,640
Speaker 2: this whole project years ago, how have you seen the

644
00:30:50,680 –> 00:30:53,080
Speaker 2: excitement and the hunger for this change over.

645
00:30:52,920 –> 00:30:56,960
Speaker 5: The years immensely. I mean, the numbers prove for themselves

646
00:30:57,040 –> 00:30:59,600
Speaker 5: one hundred and sixty three percent growth in Kansas and

647
00:30:59,680 –> 00:31:02,680
Speaker 5: one year and then it’s just the numbers that keep

648
00:31:02,720 –> 00:31:04,720
Speaker 5: coming out. Like I knew if we built it, the

649
00:31:04,760 –> 00:31:07,120
Speaker 5: girls would come. It’s just getting the other people to

650
00:31:07,120 –> 00:31:08,880
Speaker 5: see it and believe it. And we see it all

651
00:31:08,920 –> 00:31:11,160
Speaker 5: the time with athletic directors that they’re like, I don’t

652
00:31:11,160 –> 00:31:13,680
Speaker 5: think we have girls that are interested, and then sixty

653
00:31:13,680 –> 00:31:18,480
Speaker 5: girls are our tryouts. So it’s the excitement, but also

654
00:31:18,560 –> 00:31:22,040
Speaker 5: having people finally saying yes to building it and allowing

655
00:31:22,080 –> 00:31:23,040
Speaker 5: it to get to that level.

656
00:31:24,080 –> 00:31:27,240
Speaker 1: So the kcac’s playing it in the spring now, yes, right,

657
00:31:27,320 –> 00:31:29,400
Speaker 1: And I don’t leave any school Baker, did I say? Baker?

658
00:31:29,400 –> 00:31:32,120
Speaker 1: I hope I mentioned Bethel. The Threshers they’re in there

659
00:31:32,160 –> 00:31:34,360
Speaker 1: as well. So you folks from North Newton don’t have

660
00:31:34,440 –> 00:31:37,280
Speaker 1: to hit me up on social media. I’m trying to

661
00:31:37,280 –> 00:31:39,200
Speaker 1: get them all here. They’d let you know, my kids

662
00:31:39,200 –> 00:31:45,200
Speaker 1: graduated from Southwestern they were athletes. So, but the to

663
00:31:45,280 –> 00:31:48,800
Speaker 1: go fall or spring, that has to be and at

664
00:31:48,800 –> 00:31:51,440
Speaker 1: some point maybe you do both. But the fact that

665
00:31:51,600 –> 00:31:55,240
Speaker 1: have in Kansas, what about there and the decision to

666
00:31:55,360 –> 00:31:56,320
Speaker 1: go one way or the other.

667
00:31:56,640 –> 00:31:58,800
Speaker 5: So it’s on the ballot for this upcoming meeting to

668
00:31:58,840 –> 00:32:02,040
Speaker 5: be a fall sport. So the conversations behind that were

669
00:32:02,120 –> 00:32:05,280
Speaker 5: the other sports available for female athletes at that same

670
00:32:05,360 –> 00:32:08,840
Speaker 5: time in competition of pulling athletes away, which is a

671
00:32:08,840 –> 00:32:12,920
Speaker 5: big conversation. Missouri actually goes in the spring, and across

672
00:32:12,920 –> 00:32:16,080
Speaker 5: the country is kind of split both ways. Nevada, i think,

673
00:32:16,160 –> 00:32:17,640
Speaker 5: is the only state that does it over the winter

674
00:32:17,720 –> 00:32:21,840
Speaker 5: because they’re blessed with great, great weather there. But as

675
00:32:21,840 –> 00:32:24,360
Speaker 5: far as pulling athletes away and starting a new sport,

676
00:32:24,480 –> 00:32:27,160
Speaker 5: my response to that is, yes, you could lose one

677
00:32:27,240 –> 00:32:29,800
Speaker 5: volleyball player that decides to play flag football, but then

678
00:32:29,840 –> 00:32:32,360
Speaker 5: you just opened up a spot for that volleyball player

679
00:32:32,360 –> 00:32:34,960
Speaker 5: that got cut and couldn’t make the team. So it’s

680
00:32:34,960 –> 00:32:38,320
Speaker 5: not pulling athletes away, it’s just creating opportunities across the board.

681
00:32:38,360 –> 00:32:40,760
Speaker 5: And fifty percent of girls that we’ve seen have never

682
00:32:40,800 –> 00:32:43,480
Speaker 5: been on another sports team that are coming out to

683
00:32:43,480 –> 00:32:46,320
Speaker 5: play flag football. So it’s really interesting and just trying

684
00:32:46,320 –> 00:32:48,720
Speaker 5: to change the narrative that people say if you start

685
00:32:48,760 –> 00:32:50,920
Speaker 5: something that you’re going to lose something instead of just

686
00:32:50,960 –> 00:32:51,760
Speaker 5: building on it.

687
00:32:52,680 –> 00:32:55,200
Speaker 2: Now, we talked about how seventeen states have sanctioned this

688
00:32:55,240 –> 00:32:57,920
Speaker 2: already across the country. For some of the ones that

689
00:32:57,920 –> 00:33:00,840
Speaker 2: were really early into this, have you learned lessons from

690
00:33:01,120 –> 00:33:02,960
Speaker 2: things that went well didn’t go well for them?

691
00:33:03,160 –> 00:33:03,360
Speaker 1: Yeah?

692
00:33:03,360 –> 00:33:06,200
Speaker 5: What I love about my position is once a year

693
00:33:06,200 –> 00:33:08,960
Speaker 5: we have league meetings of all of the football development

694
00:33:09,160 –> 00:33:12,080
Speaker 5: come together and kind of share best practices, and through

695
00:33:12,120 –> 00:33:15,080
Speaker 5: that we’ve kind of built relationships and friendships. So I

696
00:33:15,120 –> 00:33:17,440
Speaker 5: can always just text somebody. I have a very good

697
00:33:17,440 –> 00:33:19,960
Speaker 5: friend at the Browns who just got sanctioned of Hey,

698
00:33:20,000 –> 00:33:21,320
Speaker 5: what were your best practices here?

699
00:33:21,440 –> 00:33:22,000
Speaker 2: What works?

700
00:33:22,040 –> 00:33:24,120
Speaker 5: How did you handle this? And so we have that

701
00:33:24,200 –> 00:33:26,920
Speaker 5: open line of communication because it is a solid front

702
00:33:27,000 –> 00:33:29,959
Speaker 5: at the NFL of getting all fifty states sanctioned. So

703
00:33:30,000 –> 00:33:33,080
Speaker 5: it’s not like a competition, although we’re all competitive of

704
00:33:33,080 –> 00:33:36,360
Speaker 5: who’s going to get sanctioned next, but all working together

705
00:33:36,800 –> 00:33:38,000
Speaker 5: to get the fifty for fifty.

706
00:33:38,840 –> 00:33:42,680
Speaker 1: Final question, Sheila, and it’s I’m going to play the

707
00:33:42,720 –> 00:33:45,520
Speaker 1: role of administrator here or athletic grity. I got to

708
00:33:45,520 –> 00:33:48,880
Speaker 1: find coaches, I got to find facilities scheduling what he said,

709
00:33:48,880 –> 00:33:51,240
Speaker 1: the jambree could be a key part of that, although

710
00:33:51,280 –> 00:33:54,760
Speaker 1: not all of it. But now all of a sudden,

711
00:33:54,800 –> 00:33:59,120
Speaker 1: I’ve got all these logistical challenges. What about you helping

712
00:34:00,480 –> 00:34:03,680
Speaker 1: kind of inboard these for schools if it’s passed in Kansas.

713
00:34:03,800 –> 00:34:05,880
Speaker 5: Absolutely, So there’s a few different lanes there that you

714
00:34:05,920 –> 00:34:09,920
Speaker 5: brought up first one is be creative with the spaces

715
00:34:09,920 –> 00:34:11,839
Speaker 5: that you do have available. A lot of these girls

716
00:34:11,920 –> 00:34:15,120
Speaker 5: it’s their first time playing flag football. You don’t have

717
00:34:15,200 –> 00:34:18,240
Speaker 5: to have access to your football field to learn football,

718
00:34:19,080 –> 00:34:21,239
Speaker 5: and you’re not tackling to the ground. You can go

719
00:34:21,360 –> 00:34:24,360
Speaker 5: into the gym if it’s opened and run routes, do

720
00:34:24,520 –> 00:34:27,880
Speaker 5: walking flag pole drills like learning the basics of football,

721
00:34:27,920 –> 00:34:31,520
Speaker 5: or even a classroom session and doing basic IQ. So

722
00:34:31,600 –> 00:34:34,000
Speaker 5: getting it off the ground, I think a lot of

723
00:34:34,040 –> 00:34:36,560
Speaker 5: people think up here, but you can really start down

724
00:34:36,640 –> 00:34:40,160
Speaker 5: here and just build it a solid foundation before hosting

725
00:34:40,200 –> 00:34:44,200
Speaker 5: the Friday night jamboree lights of flag football. So I

726
00:34:44,200 –> 00:34:46,160
Speaker 5: think you can get creative with the field space with

727
00:34:46,239 –> 00:34:49,239
Speaker 5: flag football. And then as far as equipment and resources,

728
00:34:49,719 –> 00:34:52,240
Speaker 5: our job is to connect the schools with those outside

729
00:34:52,360 –> 00:34:56,279
Speaker 5: organizations of USA Football provide equipment kits for all the

730
00:34:56,280 –> 00:35:00,760
Speaker 5: schools to get started. Nike has been providing jerseys for grants.

731
00:35:00,840 –> 00:35:04,239
Speaker 5: We do coaches classes with twice a year for all

732
00:35:04,239 –> 00:35:06,080
Speaker 5: of them to come through. And then we also have

733
00:35:06,120 –> 00:35:08,720
Speaker 5: a great network with the colleges that have flag football.

734
00:35:08,920 –> 00:35:11,080
Speaker 5: Of these girls that are graduating now that want to

735
00:35:11,160 –> 00:35:14,759
Speaker 5: get into coaching and participate. I have two or three

736
00:35:14,840 –> 00:35:16,719
Speaker 5: that I see on the side of the sidelines. This

737
00:35:16,840 –> 00:35:21,360
Speaker 5: last fall that played at Ottawa played at Kansas Wesleyan.

738
00:35:21,600 –> 00:35:24,759
Speaker 5: It’s the cycle is starting saying that we see in

739
00:35:24,760 –> 00:35:26,360
Speaker 5: tackle football if you go to college and then you

740
00:35:26,400 –> 00:35:29,680
Speaker 5: come back and coach. And as you mentioned casey AC,

741
00:35:30,280 –> 00:35:32,759
Speaker 5: we are the hot spot for that. So they’re there.

742
00:35:32,840 –> 00:35:35,240
Speaker 5: We just got to find them and create the positions

743
00:35:35,239 –> 00:35:36,040
Speaker 5: for them to coach it.

744
00:35:36,360 –> 00:35:39,840
Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, it’s exciting and Kansas has been a pioneer

745
00:35:40,200 –> 00:35:43,520
Speaker 1: in many ways in women’s athletics at the high school level.

746
00:35:43,600 –> 00:35:46,439
Speaker 1: So this is just another big chapter. So go get them.

747
00:35:46,600 –> 00:35:47,440
Speaker 2: Thank you, let’s do this.

748
00:35:47,560 –> 00:35:52,160
Speaker 1: We’re looking forwards to the vote on April the twenty third,

749
00:35:52,160 –> 00:35:55,600
Speaker 1: and let’s hope Kansas can sanction girls flag football as

750
00:35:55,640 –> 00:35:58,960
Speaker 1: their next big step in moving forward. Here’s what I

751
00:35:59,080 –> 00:36:01,840
Speaker 1: like about what the chiefs are doing here and the

752
00:36:01,880 –> 00:36:05,680
Speaker 1: fact that they’re offering support. So many things get mandated

753
00:36:05,680 –> 00:36:07,200
Speaker 1: on a school. I’m going to be a little bit

754
00:36:07,239 –> 00:36:11,880
Speaker 1: sensitive here and kind of represent the administrators and coaches

755
00:36:12,320 –> 00:36:17,040
Speaker 1: and athletic directors in these schools because they’ve got to

756
00:36:17,040 –> 00:36:20,520
Speaker 1: deal with budgets and officials and scheduling and facilities and

757
00:36:20,560 –> 00:36:23,640
Speaker 1: it’s just it’s a tough job. The Chiefs are not

758
00:36:23,680 –> 00:36:26,000
Speaker 1: only saying we want you to have flag football in

759
00:36:26,120 –> 00:36:31,640
Speaker 1: Smith Center or Liberal or Blue Valley North or El Dorado.

760
00:36:32,320 –> 00:36:35,760
Speaker 1: We’re going to help facilitate and make this, help this happen.

761
00:36:36,080 –> 00:36:37,920
Speaker 1: And that is they’re only just coming saying, hey, this

762
00:36:37,960 –> 00:36:40,000
Speaker 1: is a great idea, you need to do it. They’re saying,

763
00:36:40,040 –> 00:36:43,120
Speaker 1: here’s a way we can help you get this sport implemented.

764
00:36:43,440 –> 00:36:46,160
Speaker 2: Yeah, it’s cool when you see something like the Chiefs,

765
00:36:46,160 –> 00:36:50,799
Speaker 2: which is a cultural institution. It’s part of the framework

766
00:36:51,040 –> 00:36:54,120
Speaker 2: of our region. And for the team to use that

767
00:36:54,239 –> 00:36:57,399
Speaker 2: platform to make our region a better place to live,

768
00:36:57,760 –> 00:36:59,560
Speaker 2: I think is pretty cool. And that’s what this is

769
00:36:59,600 –> 00:37:03,359
Speaker 2: all about. It’s all about giving girls throughout the state

770
00:37:03,400 –> 00:37:05,879
Speaker 2: of Kansas, throughout the region because other states are trying

771
00:37:05,920 –> 00:37:07,840
Speaker 2: to sanciit. I believe Missouri is trying to sanction it

772
00:37:07,880 –> 00:37:12,400
Speaker 2: as well, giving them the opportunity to provide chances to

773
00:37:13,040 –> 00:37:15,239
Speaker 2: young girls and young women that would never have these

774
00:37:15,320 –> 00:37:19,120
Speaker 2: chances otherwise. And like Sheila was talking about, if you

775
00:37:19,200 –> 00:37:22,160
Speaker 2: are in high school and have the opportunity to play flag, well,

776
00:37:22,160 –> 00:37:24,560
Speaker 2: that might open up a whole new world to you.

777
00:37:24,600 –> 00:37:26,759
Speaker 2: Where now you can play in college, you can do

778
00:37:26,840 –> 00:37:28,480
Speaker 2: something that you never thought you’d be able to do

779
00:37:28,560 –> 00:37:30,879
Speaker 2: if it wasn’t sanctioned at the high school level. Maybe

780
00:37:30,920 –> 00:37:33,960
Speaker 2: you can plan the Olympics one day, who knows. So

781
00:37:34,480 –> 00:37:37,399
Speaker 2: I just think it’s very cool that the Chiefs can

782
00:37:37,560 –> 00:37:40,480
Speaker 2: use this platform to make our region a better place

783
00:37:40,480 –> 00:37:43,560
Speaker 2: and then improve the lives of potentially, I mean hundreds

784
00:37:43,600 –> 00:37:45,520
Speaker 2: of thousands of girls throughout this area.

785
00:37:46,160 –> 00:37:48,040
Speaker 1: Yeah, it’s exciting, and we’ll see what happens in the

786
00:37:48,040 –> 00:37:51,560
Speaker 1: state of Kansas in the month of April. Well. Also

787
00:37:52,239 –> 00:37:55,000
Speaker 1: look with anticipation as we attack April with so many

788
00:37:55,040 –> 00:37:58,040
Speaker 1: things going on, start a virtual lotas and of course

789
00:37:58,080 –> 00:38:02,239
Speaker 1: the draft, and we’re just getting ready to run with it.