FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — When Sandy Turner entered the Atlanta Falcons' facility address into his GPS, the drive was supposed to take about four hours. Not bad. The 11 girls he had loaded onto a bus for the trip would entertain themselves along the way.
Turner is the head coach of the girls flag football team at Valdosta High School, a program that began three years ago. On Tuesday, the Falcons hosted a girls flag football clinic presented by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at their facility — a free opportunity for players to sharpen their skills while meeting others from across the state during drills run by current and former Falcons players. Turner knew his team would want to be there.
"What I try to do is I try to get them out. I try to get them exposed," Turner said. "Even though it's a long trip, it's worth it. Whatever (the school budget) approves, I will take 'em."
What began as a four-hour drive, however, quickly stretched to six as traffic built along the route. The Valdosta players arrived just in time for the group photo that kicked off the evening. They made it — and that was what mattered.
"We wouldn't miss it," Turner said.
Valdosta brought 11 players to the event, but Turner's program reaches nearly 40 girls. In just three years, interest — and the level of play — has soared. From Turner's perspective, that growth reflects what he's seeing well beyond Valdosta's city limits.
"It's taking off. And we just have a microcosm of what's going on for girls flag football," Turner explained. "The first year, girls were hesitant. ... But our numbers have constantly risen. More girls are interested, and actually we have started a middle school league, because it has taken off so much."
That expansion was driven in part by the eight eighth graders who suited up for Turner's junior varsity team last season. The trend mirrors what the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has observed statewide: girls want to start earlier. They don't want to wait until high school to play. That's why Blank's latest investment in the sport — a $6.3 million pledge to metro Atlanta schools — includes funding earmarked specifically for launching middle school girls flag football teams in select counties.
Turner and Valdosta High have benefited from several of Blank's and the Falcons' initiatives over the years. The program has received organizational grants and participated in showcases that have become pipelines to college scholarships for girls hoping to continue playing at the next level. Turner has had three players earn scholarship offers through those events.
That was news Jalon Walker, the Falcons' edge rusher who volunteered at Tuesday's clinic, found especially meaningful.
"This was an amazing opportunity — actually a new opportunity for me — to learn so much about what's going on," Walker said.
"I heard earlier that you can get college scholarships from girls flag football now which is just amazing. So, having these girls come out here to show their talent, to come out and enjoy themselves? It's great."
Reflecting on how far the program has come fills Turner with pride. A former player at Valdosta State University, he once felt called to leave his mark on the game. Girls flag football became the avenue where he believed he could have the greatest impact.
"Initially my thought process was I will go in and I will build a program." Turner said. "Start something new."
Life, though, shifted his perspective.
"My thought process and what God had in his plan was something totally different," Turner explained. "What ended up happening is I find myself bridging a gap with dads and daughters."
He recalled a moment when one of his players approached him at the end of a season simply to say thank you for starting the program.
"My dad has never really supported anything that I have done," Turner remembers the young girl saying. "But being that he can relate to football, there's a relationship."
Turner: "That almost brought me to tears."
That's why, whenever he can, Turner loads up a bus and makes the trip — no matter the distance — to help grow the game. It's why, after Tuesday night's clinic, he and his players climbed back aboard for the long ride home to Valdosta, traffic and all.
He'd do it all over again without hesitation.
"They're investing a lot into this," Falcons defensive lineman Ruke Orhorhoro said between drills. "... It's encouraging to see that people can go out there and have fun, too, it doesn't just have to be the guys."
