EAGAN, Minn. — Kassidy Miller always felt like she belonged on the football field.

She started following the sport at an early age, connecting with her grandmother over watching Vikings games together and playing with her cousins in the backyard.

"She's a diehard," Kassidy said of her grandma, Barbra. "She has a whole bunch of Vikings stuff in her house, and watching football together, she always understood all the terms, so she would explain what's going on, what was happening in the game, and we'd get super into it together."

Barbra and Kassidy often spent Saturdays together, as well, watching college games and discussing potential new prospects for the Vikings.

But despite her affinity for it, Kassidy didn't have the opportunity to play organized football because it simply wasn't set up for young girls.

Until now.

Currently a junior at Benilde-St. Margaret's, Kassidy was thrilled in 2024 when she heard the Red Knights were joining the Minnesota Girls High School Flag League launched by the Vikings. She immediately signed up and fell in love with the sport all over again.

Kassidy has shined on the gridiron, playing running back and safety for Benilde-St. Margaret's and unearthing a passion she hadn't previously felt with other athletics.

Though running back can be the flashier position, Kassidy feels most at home on the defensive side of the ball. It's a mindset that comes naturally for her, she noted, and one she first discovered on the basketball court.

"I finally made the AAU team based off my defense," she explained. "I didn't really have it on offense; I could make a layup, but the 3s and the mid-range, I didn't quite have the skill set for that. So what really started it was my defense — make sure I have my girl, communicating, and that's what the coach saw and why he brought me on the team. I've kind of taken that with me.

"My mom always tells me that anyone can be an offensive player. Anyone can make the next basket — 'Y'all can go shot for shot or touchdown for touchdown, but it's a matter of who's going to stop the next play on defense,' " Kassidy continued. "When my mom told me that, and then my ability to move quick off the ball and my agility, that really helped me. That's something I take with me everywhere."

Kassidy takes pride in playing safety and being "the last line of the defense" for her team.

"Communication is huge for me," she said. "I'm very vocal on the field and like making sure everyone is in the right spot. I also focus on reading the quarterback so I can anticipate her throw and react fast to the ball."

In late February, Kassidy and her flag teammate Estella Cabuay were invited to participate with more than 80 other young women in the High School Girls Flag Football Showcase, hosted by the Vikings and USA Football. The event provided athletes, who were nominated by their coaches, an opportunity to demonstrate their skills for local college and USA football scouts through individual drills, 1-on-1s and a scrimmage.

Attending the showcase changed Kassidy's entire perspective on girls flag football.

Ahead of the event, she'd found herself feeling uncertain about the future of the sport and if interest state-wide would be high enough to continue offering opportunities to play.

"I was nervous initially," Kassidy admitted, "because Benilde is a small school, so there weren't a ton of girls who wanted to play, and I wasn't sure what to expect [with other schools]. But when we got to the showcase, I got to know schools from all over Minnesota and even Iowa.

"Seeing a bunch of different girls who are passionate about the sport, they're excited, it's something they really want to do — that was something that really impacted me," she added.

Kassidy also has been impacted by the Vikings "showing a huge level of respect" toward girls and women's sports and especially flag football.

"For the Vikings to be a team that gives us our props and shows we're just as capable as boys, that's so important," she said. "Women are still undermined in all types of sports … when it comes to contracts, salaries or just the level of exposure they get, so the Vikings taking this step to — and not worrying there's going to be backlash — give us our respect and pour into us is incredible."

Throughout the showcase, Kassidy observed the coaches' shared excitement level and commitment to providing productive feedback to her and her peers.

"They didn't just say 'good job' or 'good effort'; they explained exactly what I did well, and if something needed improvement, they gave me pointers and made sure I understood how to fix it," Kassidy recounted. "I especially enjoyed the scrimmage portion because I was able to showcase my abilities while also competing against so many girls who are just as competitive and motivated as I am — while also encouraging each other on the field."

She appreciates the organic camaraderie built among athletes from all different teams, sharing a pride in helping girls flag football become a sanctioned sport.

"The coaches were calling us 'pioneers' of girls flag. … And there are things to back that up — the Olympics, big programs and [prominent] athletes are taking flag seriously, and it's not something played down," Kassidy said. "It's just really cool to be part of a sport that's growing; we're not just hearing about other people who were part of it. This time, I'm a part of a sport growing."

Following the high school showcase that included a scrimmage, Kassidy received outreach from Joe Bartos, the head women's flag coach at the College of St. Benedict.

Bartos recognized Kassidy's skill set and invited her to tour St. Ben's and learn more about its women's flag program that launched this season.

Kassidy visited the campus April 11 and attended the Bennies warmups and first flag game, a 39-12 win over Gustavus Adolphus. St. Benedict went on to win the Midwest Women's College Flag League on April 25 at TCO Stadium.

"[Coach Bartos] is a very good coach," she added. "He was very transparent, and any question I had, he was willing to answer. The way he hypes up his team is incredible. We got to meet with them … and they were all super excited. Seeing how dedicated they and other teams are to this sport, it's truly becoming something good."

Kassidy is looking forward to her senior season with Benilde-St. Margaret's and has renewed energy around the possibility of playing flag at the collegiate level.

"I kind of always thought playing a sport beyond high school wouldn't happen, because at the time I wasn't sure how seriously flag football was being taken," she said. "Now I see how much people are passionate about it, and it's awesome."

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