Ashlea Klam believed in flag football long before the rest of the world caught up. She was seven years old when she started playing, inspired by her older brother and a love for competition. That early spark has grown into a lifelong belief in the sport’s future and in her ability to help shape it.
Now a junior at Keiser University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., she’s built a personal brand that shows what’s possible for athletes in emerging sports. She’s proof that opportunity doesn’t just come to those who wait. It comes to those who put themselves out there.
“I was always a very competitive kid,” Klam says. She joined a co-ed flag football league in Texas after her parents recognized that competitive drive. “I loved playing any sport my brother played. If he did baseball, I wanted to do baseball. If he did flag football, I wanted to do flag football too.”
As she grew, so did her ambitions. She played volleyball and competed in track and field, eventually earning an offer to throw at Army West Point. But even with a Division I opportunity in front of her, Klam chose a different path.
“I just knew I had so much passion for the sport,” she says. “I also knew where the sport was going. Even though it wasn’t in the Olympics yet, I knew people were going to respect it soon.”
When it came time to be recruited, she didn’t wait for coaches to find her. She proactively pursued her career in flag football.
“It was basically just posting on Instagram and trying to get any schools to respond,” she remembers. “I would literally make a highlight reel, tag all of them, and DM them. I always tell people that I’d rather be annoying than forgotten.”
Klam’s determination paid off, leading her to Keiser.
“The second I saw them play at nationals, I knew that was it,” Klam says. “They had the same discipline and passion that I did. I loved their coaching style, and I just knew that was the school I wanted to go to.”
Flag remains at the center of everything she does. But today’s world of collegiate athletics provides opportunities to earn money and maximize this moment. When it comes to endorsement deals and commercial NIL, Klam brings the same energy.
“I’ve sent so many messages to brands about who I am and what I represent. Sometimes they reply, sometimes they don’t, but that’s just the name of the game. You will be told a hundred times no, but after that 101, you’re going to get a yes,” Klam advises. “If that means DMing 100 brands, that means DMing 100 brands.”
Her persistence has paid off in the athlete marketing game as well. She now works with major brands like Under Armour and represents the NFL as a Global Flag Football Ambassador.
“I have these different goals as an athlete, who I would like to work with, looking at their values and mindset,” she says. “Under Armour has been at the top the entire time. I started posting and wearing Under Armour all the time. Every game day, every practice. Keiser is an Under Armour school and Team USA is sponsored by them too. It just made sense.”
For Klam, NIL is about more than personal deals. It’s about growing the sport and inspiring others.
“Growing up, I didn’t really have a flag football player to look up to,” she says. “I was 14 when I aged out of the NFL Flag circuit, and I didn’t know there was a women’s national team. I just didn’t see anyone like me playing.
“If other people weren’t going to put flag football on the map or put our athletes on the map, then I knew I had to do that for myself. I really wanted to showcase to these girls what a flag football player was.”
Today, her Instagram reflects that goal.
“If younger girls see me in an Under Armour campaign or an NFL commercial, maybe they’ll realize this sport is real,” Klam says. “They’ll see that you can get a college scholarship, make money, and represent your country. That’s the biggest thing for me.”
Between school, Keiser practices, USA Football, and brand work, Klam’s schedule rarely slows down.
“Honestly, I don’t even know how I balance it,” she says, laughing. “I wasn’t home for one weekend all summer. It’s been so busy.
“But this is what I’ve dreamt of. It’s about gratitude. Every moment reminds me how far the sport and I have come.
As flag football prepares for its Olympics debut in 2028, Klam’s name is one that fans and brands alike should remember. She continues to grow her presence on and off the field, using every opportunity to showcase the sport and inspire others to chase their goals with confidence.
“For me, it’s about being grateful and being happy on the football field,” she says. “That’s where I feel at home and where I feel my best.”
She hopes to be the kind of example she once searched for. The sky is the limit for Klam and those following in her path.
“If I don’t believe in myself, then who will?” she says. “That’s what I tell every athlete. Believe in yourself, keep shooting your shot, and never be afraid to make your own opportunity.”
Catch Ashlea Klam’s full interview in the Opendorse NIL Masterclass, where she shares more about her journey, her mindset, and how she’s building a brand that grows with the game.
