Ashlea Klam
_(cropped).png) Klam in 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 2004 (age 21–22) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home town | Austin, Texas, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Flag football | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Center, defensive back | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ashlea Klam (born October 2004)[1] is an American international flag football player. She has represented the United States national team since 2023, winning the 2024 IFAF Women's Flag Football World Championship. She plays college flag football for the Keiser Seahawks.
Early life
[edit]Born to Amber and Jason Klam and raised in Austin, Texas, she started playing flag football at age six after seeing her brother Peyton play. She began to play competitively the year after, initially playing on boys' teams.[2][3] She also excelled at a number of sports as a youngster: soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball, and track and field.[1]
Flag football career
[edit]Klam received a scholarship to study sports management and play flag football for Keiser University in Florida.[2]
She played for the Texas Fury club based in Austin, Texas, created by her parents as a girls-only flag football team that has expanded to eight different teams for different age groups.[4][5]
In 2023, she became the youngest player on the United States women's national flag football team, at the age of 19.[6] She was a member of the American team which won the 2024 IFAF Women's Flag Football World Championship.[7]
She settled for bronze at the 2025 IFAF Americas Continental Flag Football Championship in Panama, catching a touchdown in the loss to Mexico in the semifinals before defeating the hosts in the third place game.[8]
In 2026 Klam transferred to Cal Poly[9] for the Mustangs' inaugural season of NCAA Women's Flag Football. Cal Poly is one of the first 10 NCAA D1 schools to sponsor Flag Football as a Varsity NCAA D1 sport.[10]
Personal life
[edit]Klam has also worked as an actress, appearing in The Long Road Home miniseries, as well as a television show based on the Sage Alexander young adult novel series, and films such as Jack’s Apocalypse.[1]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Vargas, Ramon Antonio (January 18, 2025). "US flag football star Ashlea Klam eyes 2028 Olympic gold – and so much more". The Guardian.
- 1 2 Omatiga, Mary (December 22, 2023). ""Flag Football has no Ceiling": Ashlea Klam on her journey to the Women's U.S. National Team". NBC Sports. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
- ↑ "Ashlea Klam Player Spotlight". NFL.com. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
- ↑ Hendricks, Maggie (August 12, 2024). "American flag football hope Ashlea Klam: It all starts with believing". Olympics.com. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
- ↑ Graham, Pat (December 30, 2023). "Flag football gives female players sense of community, scholarship options and soon shot at Olympics". kunc.org. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
- ↑ Perlman, Charlie (August 13, 2024). "Girls flag football's Olympic dream: a reality for young athletes". LA Times. Retrieved January 18, 2025.[dead link]
- ↑ "Keiser's Foster and Klam help the U.S. Women's Flag Football National Team win Gold". kuseahawks.com. August 31, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
- ↑ "Team USA Football's Men's Team Declared Co-champions in Weather-Impacted IFAF Americas Continental Championship; Women's Team Claims Bronze". USA Football. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
- ↑ https://gopoly.com/news/2026/6/29/womens-flag-football-two-incoming-cal-poly-flag-football-players-named-to-usa-national-team
- ↑ https://www.collegiateflagfootball.com/ncaa-division-1-womens-college-flag-football-teams/
- Living people
- 2004 births
- Sportspeople from Austin, Texas
- Flag football players
- American child actresses
- Actresses from Austin, Texas
- 21st-century American actresses
- Medalists at the 2025 World Games
- World Games silver medalists for the United States
- World Games medalists in flag football
- Keiser University alumni