Skagit Valley Warriors women's football team fights for women in sports

The Skagit Valley Warriors, Skagit County's first women's football team, raises money for youth sports and women's sports.

The organization is part of the North Women's Football League. The team was established in 2018 under Pitbulls Wresting and operated under multiple nonprofits until it became its own legal entity in 2023.

The team is categorized as flag football with incidental contact, and players use full gear and pads.

"We wear flags and in a game, we have to go toward the flags, but when you're running full force with all your gear on, you're gonna end up tackling, so we tackle and we teach tackle so that we can do it safely," said Warriors President Tiffanie Dimick.

The Warriors include all skill levels and ages from 18 up. Coaches try to ensure that everyone is put in a role that suits them best, and no one is turned away.

"(The coaches) make it work on what's best for the team ... they find a spot and rotate people in when needed. I don't think we've ever had to turn people away," said founding member Jenni Stahlecker.

The team has had players ranging from age 18 to 52. The Warriors play others in a league that includes teams from Stanwood, Lake Stevens and Granite Falls.

Until last year, the Warriors were undefeated.

As a nonprofit, the organization gives back to youth sports, football teams and female athletes in the county, including sponsoring youth football teams and giving scholarships to female athletes graduating high school.

Last year, the Warriors gave out $7,500 in scholarships.

Stahlecker, Dimick and Jackie Freeman pushed to get the organization to become its own nonprofit.

The first year as a nonprofit, the Warriors gave out scholarships to one school, and for the past two years the organization was able to donate to all of the high schools in Skagit County.

"(The nonprofit) has evolved by becoming bigger and more known, and we've been able to do more to help and fundraise, and the relationships, I have friends for life ... (It's) been awesome to help and (let girls) know they can do anything," Stahlecker said.

Dimick said the team is a rare place where women of all ages are able to participate in a sport not typically available to women.

"I'm here personally because I was a single mom for many, many years and paying for sports was very hard for me. My kids didn't get to do all the elective sports or all the other select leagues and stuff because I was a single parent," Dimick said.

Freeman, who does social media for the Warriors, said it's been amazing to be able to support women in the community.

"I'm a mom and I'm a wife, but this is incredible, because I can see some of these women come here. They're single moms, they have been in abusive relationships. They've been through a lot, and they come out here and find a community that's for them ... Especially for moms, we often put everyone else first, and this is a place where they can put themselves first," Freeman said.

Head coach Chris Diaz has been coaching for about three years.

Last month, he helped lead the combine - a tryout for the team where women did drills and practiced various skills to see if they wanted to join the team.

At the end of the year, the team will practice the skills again to see how they improved.

Diaz has coached his kids in baseball and football, and has served in roles including head coach, line coach and defensive coach.

He said he appreciates the fact that everyone on the team has such different life experiences, and it has created a fun and unique challenge building off his experience coaching youth sports.

Dimick said this season already has had a good turnout and the team is excited for all that is ahead.

Stahlecker said if there's anyone who has thought they would love to play football but thought they couldn't because they're a girl, they should check out the Warriors.

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.