Green Flags Everywhere: South Jersey Girl Representing USA, NY Jets On International Stage

CLAYTON, NJ — World-class dreams start in South Jersey every day, and one girl is taking that next step to bring her talents to the international stage on behalf of her country and the New York Jets.

Clayton's own Kaitlyn Richards, 14, is a wide receiver and defensive back on the Jets Flag Elite 14U travel flag football team.

She and two other girls were recently chosen to represent the 15U U.S. National Team as part of an 18-athlete group that will train in Chula Vista, California over the next two months.

That group will then be narrowed down into a final roster and alternates ahead of the 5th USA Football Junior International Cup in Los Angeles this summer.

"Being in a small town doesn't mean you can't do big things," Richards said in talking with Patch.

As a member of the first-ever Jets Flag 14U squad, going from the fields at places like Autumn Pasquale Memorial Park to the bright lights of California, she said, has taught her plenty of valuable lessons.

"Leadership, being a team player, and bringing positive energy to my team," Richards added as to what she feels the impact of the last eight months has brought out in her.

What started with tackle football morphed into a role on the Total Turf flag team after talking with her mom, who had been concerned over the dangers of the contact sport.

In September 2025, the Jets came calling and ignited her fire even further to achieve great lengths on the athletic stage.

Inspired by the likes of Coach Kyle Slivka-Fralin, fellow flag standout Bryson Wright, and future wideout for the Miami Hurricanes Nick Lennear, Richards, who also loves to skate and dance, said she isn't stopping at just football.

"Play professionally for both basketball and flag football," she said of her future plans, "and for college, I want my degree to be in mechanical engineering."

Founded in May 2025, the Jets Flag Elite is the official girls flag football club travel team of the New York Jets.

Girls compete in high school 5-on-5 tournaments at the local, regional, and national levels and are given pathways to college scholarships and other future support opportunities.

The organization's mission is to support, elevate, and empower girls both in life and on the way towards hopefully supporting the USA National team when girls' flag becomes an Olympic Sport in 2028.

Catch Kaitlyn and her teammates in their next tournament as they take the field in the Hard Count National Qualifier in Jackson on April 11.

More about the program can be found on the team's Facebook and Instagram pages, or by watching this documentary produced by the New York Jets entitled "EmpowHer."

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