Lexington football team to represent Colts in national flag football tournament
LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A local flag football team has the chance to play on the national stage after winning a regional tournament in Indianapolis. It wasn’t just any flag football tournament. The team, Lexington Elite, won the NFL Flag regional tournament.
“We’ve got several months to get ready, and we’re going to go back and be the team we were in Indianapolis,” said coach Michael Logan, who has been coaching flag football for years. He traces his coaching roots back to the YMCA.
“We got a bunch of kids together that liked to play football, and at some point, we met up and just started coaching and it became kind of, not necessarily a serious thing, but a competitive thing.”
Sometime in there, Logan met Eulaun Beasley, and the two have coached together ever since.
“When my son was five,” Beasley said, “we were looking for another sport for him to play, and we got put on his team by accident and the rest is history. We both are competitive. We both like to win. He brings out the best in me, and I bring out the best in him.”
In the early years, their Lexington team actually competed in another regional tournament.
“Eight years ago, we went to the tournament,” Logan said. “We got beat, three games.” “Games were over at halftime,” Beasley added.
In the years since, Lexington Elite has become a dominant flag football force in central Kentucky.
“It’s been great traveling and playing with them guys,” said Nick Logan, receiver and coach Logan’s son. “Competing as a team is really fun.”
“My favorite thing about hanging out around with these people is their love for the game and their energy and bringing us in,” quarterback Samuel Wilson added. “This is my first year, so being welcoming to me, I know how it feels.”
On their quest to be the best, Lexington Elite returned to the NFL regional scene this year. They started in Cincinnati but came up just short.
“I don’t feel like we were prepared [in Cincinnati tournament] as well as we should be,” said coach Logan, “but we fell short in the championship which made us think, alright, if we prepare, practice a little more, we might have some success in Indianapolis.”
Indeed, the team did find success in Indianapolis. Lexington Elite never lost on their way to winning the regional on Nov. 17.
“We were locked in at Indianapolis. It didn’t feel like nobody could beat us there,” said Wilson.
“To see the joy on my boys’ faces,” said Beasley, “and to see them jumping up and down and just understanding, we’re from Lexington. We came to this regional. We played kids from multiple states, and we beat all of them.”
The regional win means Lexington Elite will be one of 32 boys 14u teams from around the country competing in the NFL Flag Championship next July. Each team in the tournament will represent the NFL team of the region they won.
“We represent Indianapolis Colts. Not just Lexington. We represent Indianapolis Colts,” Logan told the team in the huddle. He later added, “I think it’s important that the kids recognize who they are playing for. Not only are they playing for themselves, they’re playing for kids from Douglass, from the YMCA, from Lexington, from Indianapolis, for Indiana. They represent a lot of people.”
The team overcame limited practice and a few players out for injury in Indianapolis. With a full roster and plenty of time to prepare, the coaches – and players – are confident they can compete for the championship.
“I feel like we could play tomorrow and we’d go win it,” Wilson said.
“I think we have a lot of confidence,” Luke Kok, wide receiver and corner added. “If we are healthy I do think that we’ll be able to win it.”
“I feel that it’s like a great opportunity to have,” running back and linebacker Tyree Richardson added. “Not many kids at this age get to do this.”
Coach Beasley said, “for us to go there and do what we did without much practice gives me so much confidence in these boys and what they’re going to be able to do over the course of the next six months getting ready for that tournament, and just also knowing these other teams are coming. They’re going to be ready for us.”
Over the next few months, Lexington East will be preparing to represent the Colts in the four-day tournament. The team is also hoping to raise some funds to help with hotel and meal expenses. To support Lexington Elite on their trip, you can visit their GoFundMe.
