CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A special league of players has gotten the chance to be a Carolina Panther, playing at the team’s Atrium Health Dome practice facility.
What You Need To Know
The Panthers’ Challenger Flag Football League is for adults and kids with varying abilities
Players and cheerleaders get the chance to live out their NFL dreams on the same field the Carolina Panthers practice on
Through a partnership with Eleven Sports Media, each player was able to receive a custom jersey for the 19th season
It’s the 19th season of the Panthers’ Challenger Flag Football League, giving the opportunity to adults and children with varying disabilities to play flag football and cheerlead.
Riley Fields, the director of community relations of the Panthers, says the program started in 2005 in Mecklenburg County and has grown to cover the Carolinas.
“One of the real meaningful parts of the program are the relationships that have been developed over the years with the different programs in communities across North and South Carolina. We have players here today that were part of that very first program back in 2005,” Fields said.
Bryan Hyatt working at one of his jobs in the NC Fusion concession stands. (Spectrum News 1/Sydney McCoy)
Bryan Hyatt, is a member of the Greensboro Panthers Challenger Flag Football League team and has competed multiple years.
Hyatt is all about sports, all the time. When the 25-year-old isn’t working at one of his jobs in the concessions stands at NC Fusion, he’s bowling or watching sports.
He says he likes working at NC Fusion because he “likes to watch the kids play soccer,” he said.
Hyatt loves the Carolina Panthers, specifically Bryce Young, the team’s new starting quarterback.
Now he gets to live out his NFL dream by doing his favorite thing in football, throwing to his teammates. And he gets to do it right where his favorite team does.
The players and cheerleaders in the league get to practice and compete in a full season before entering the Atrium Health Dome, the Panthers’ practice facility, for the big Jamboree.
Members of the Greensboro Panthers’ Challenger Flag Football League Team practice. (Spectrum News 1/ Sydney McCoy)
Participants get to run through the Panthers’ tunnel, hang out with everyone’s favorite cat, Sir Purr and members of the Spirit Squad. Just like a real game day.
“One of the fun parts of the day is having the teams here, where the Carolina Panthers actually practice, you know. Sharing that same space, knowing that they’re walking across the same turf that their favorite Panthers players do on a daily basis,” Fields said.
Players, cheerleaders, parents and friends poured into the dome from the City of High Point Parks and Recreation, City of Rock Hill Parks, Recreation and Toursim, City of Durham Parks and Recreation, Greensboro Parks & Recreation, Kernserville Recreation and Parks Department, Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation, Richland County Recreation Commission, the City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources and the YMCA of North Carolina Warrior’s Sports of Winston-Salem.
“We’re stronger than we’ve ever been, with programs in nine markets across North and South Carolina. And so, not just to see the program not only sustain, but to now experience a new phase of explosive growth,” Fields said.
The event is not only a big deal for the participants getting to be honorary Panthers, it’s a big deal for the participants’ biggest fans as well, the parents.
Sir Purr and a member of the Greensboro Panthers’ Challenger Flag Football League dance. (Spectrum News 1/Sydney McCoy)
David Cook, an adaptive and inclusive recreational assistant with Greensboro Parks and Recreation, has been working with the Challenger League for three seasons.
“It’s just a great outlet for parents to have that respite and see their kids be successful from a parental standpoint, you know, and just like the inclusion and the excitement that it,” Cook said.
Cook says it’s a fulfilling feeling getting to see the players live out their fantasies.
“They’re just so happy and so great to see them be successful and something that’s so meaningful to them,” Cook said.
Flag football was recently announced to be an Olympic sport for the 2028 Los Angeles games.
Fields says this program was one of the first, if not the first, of its kind and even got a new upgrade this year.
“This year, we’re really excited that the program is being supported by Elven Sports Media. As part of that, one of the plus ups is that all the teams received custom jerseys for this season. There’s a lot of things that make the experience really meaningful for the players and the coaches,” Fields said.
2023 teams and coaches of the Panthers’ Challenger Flag Football League. (Spectrum News 1/Sydney McCoy)
For more information on how your community can get involved with the Panthers’ Challenger Flag Football League and community contacts, visit the Panthers’ Challenger League Youth Football Page.