As Key West prepares for the world’s largest international women’s and girls flag football tournament, a team from the heart of the Florida Keys is setting its sights on a fifth title.
The Marathon Mermaids will take the field next weekend at the Kelly McGillis Classic, held annually in the Southernmost City. The Mermaids have already built a remarkable legacy at the event, winning four of the last five tournaments in their division. Even more striking: Their eighth-grade group has only had one touchdown scored against it, and that wasn’t by an opposing offense, according to head coach Sean Sayer.
“No one has scored a touchdown on our defense since 2020,” Sayer said. “The one game that we lost was due to a pick six (an intercepted pass returned for a touchdown) on the next to the last play of the game two years ago. So while we did lose a game, it wasn’t due to our defense giving up the score.”
The team’s roots go back to elementary school when three girls – Sayer’s daughter Sutton, Shaina Robinson and Ashley Strama – first played together on a combined Marathon and Sugarloaf squad. After Sugarloaf formed its own team, the Marathon group continued as the Mermaids.
“They participate in volleyball, soccer, basketball and track and they all come together on one field to compete,” said Sayer. “Girls flag football popularity has been exploding, and it’s great they have the opportunity to play a tournament right here in the Keys.”
They competed under NFL five-on-five flag football rules before moving into the Classic’s eight-on-eight format, which allows blocking and more closely resembles traditional tackle football. Today, the Mermaids compete in the Juniors 12-15 division, though one player is just 11 and playing up an age group.
“I love playing flag football, especially when you play it with the right people,” said the younger Sayer. “I’ve played flag football for six years now and it has shown me how strong girls can be, mentally and physically. Playing with this team has been one of the best parts of my life, winning or losing.”
The Kelly McGillis Classic is a week-long celebration of female athleticism and community. This year the event is scheduled through Monday, Jan. 26 (play started on Jan. 20), with tournament games played at Poinciana Elementary School on Saturday and Sunday. The event draws teams from around the globe and features games, skills clinics, social events and a Duval Street parade.
Divisions include three categories to separate athletes ages 8 to 15, along with multiple women’s brackets, allowing players of all levels to participate. Clinics are designed so individuals can learn to play, develop officiating skills and join the event even without a full team, reflecting the International Women’s Flag Football Association’s (IWFFA) mission of camaraderie, skill-building and global unity among female athletes. For the Mermaids, that spirit is reflected in their long-running rivalry and friendship with the Sugarloaf team.
“We really love this game and all the Keys teams,” said Sayer. “We’ve always gotten along with the Sugarloaf team. When they beat us on the last play of the game, they were really good sports after the game and were lifting us up. Last year when we beat them, our girls did a great job of celebrating together.”
Despite their success, Sayer said this season has offered little practice time due to the varying middle and high school sports schedules of all the players. Regardless, he said his team should be ready to continue one of the more impressive defensive runs in youth flag football.
“We’re going to rely on our experience and the fact that we’ve played together so long and have been running the same plays for years,” he said.
More information is at iwffa.com/kmc-2026.
