TAMPA, Fla. — Applications for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' scholarship for female high school seniors playing football are now open, the team announced Thursday.
It is the fourth time that Tampa Bay opens up its Buccaneers Girls in Football Scholarship. Female high school student-athletes must be participating in touch, flag or tackle football in their schools with an aspiration to pursue a career in sports to be eligible for the scholarship.
The student-athletes must also have earned a minimum 3.0 GPA during their academic career and plan to enroll full-time at an accredited four-year college or university. The application is open to female high school football student-athletes across the country.
“The Buccaneers Girls in Flag Football scholarship has greatly impacted me during my first year in college through financial assistance and by connecting me with other women in sports,” Olivia Zorilla, a second-semester freshman attending Florida State University and received the scholarship from the Bucs in the past, said in a statement. “Not only was I able to receive funding for college, but I was also about able to develop relationships with the Buccaneers staff and other scholarship winners.
"I truly am so grateful for the opportunity this organization provided. Being able to represent my hometown team in this was such a joy.”
Applications are now open until April 20, 2023. Those who qualify and are interested in applying for the scholarship can do so by clicking here. The Bucs say scholarship recipients will be announced at a later date.
Up to four student-athletes will be selected for the award and receive a one-time $5,000 award.
Last year, four scholarship winners were surprised with boxes from wide receiver Mike Evans.
Tampa Bay's scholarship is part of their commitment to growing the game of football and support gender equality both on and off the field, the team says. The Bucs also hosted the biggest girl's flag football tournament in the country in a multi-day event that included more than 70 high school teams and over 1,500 student-athletes.
"The Buccaneers are the only NFL team to establish a scholarship of this kind, made possible through a $250,000 commitment by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation," the team said in a statement.
The foundation has helped establish the city of Tampa's first Jr. Bucs Girls Flag Football League. The foundation also covers the costs of league fees and equipment for girls at 24 Tampa parks and recreation centers.
To learn more about the team's support for girl's football in the Tampa Bay area, click here.