In a country where hockey reigns supreme and football usually means soccer, a different kind of football is finding its footing: American football. But in a sport traditionally played by men, women in the Czech Republic have popularized the game as well, reflecting a broader shift in opportunities for female athletes.
Despite not getting the same amount of attention as other sports, women’s tackle football in the Czech Republic has had its fair share of success. The Brno Amazons were founded by Lenka Vavrisová and Vojta Sláma in 2013, and have since formed into a championship caliber organization.
Since the team joined the Czech American Football Association in 2015, they’ve won six league championships, most recently taking home the crown in the 2024 season.
Petra Kovaříková is a player, coach and assistant guarantor for the Brno Amazons tackle football team, and is also manager of the flag football team. Since joining the team in January 2014, she has witnessed the growth of women’s American football in the Czech Republic from its earliest stages.
“I had no idea about this sport until I found a recruitment leaflet for the tackle team. The team had been established about half a year earlier and was only playing the flag football variant at that time,” Kovaříková said. “Since then, I have learned about the sport and completely fell in love with it—the game, the community, and the team.”
More than a decade later, that passion continues to be Kovaříková’s driving force. She describes football as a love, an addiction, and a lifestyle. Even as teammates, coaches, and the league itself have changed over the years, the core values remain the same: sharing a love for the sport and building team spirit.
Game days are marked by routines and traditions that strengthen team bonds. For home games, players often begin with breakfast together before helping prepare the field. Pre-game rituals include music-filled locker rooms, equipment preparation, meetings with coaches, and warm-ups before kickoff. Afterward, players celebrate victories, or cope with defeats, but either way, they do it together.
“We train together, play together, and also spend our free time together,” Kovaříková’ said. “We can rely on each other.”
For Kovaříková the most exciting moments come after the first whistle and the first hit, is when the energy kicks in. “The first whistle after the opening drive, especially the first hit, is when the adrenaline peaks,” she said.
There’s also major hype on the other side of the ball when the team defends a difficult drive close to the end zone.
Despite its growth, women’s tackle football in the Czech Republic continues to face significant challenges. Factors such as a shortage of players, coaches, and institutional support from men’s clubs are major barriers to expanding the sport. Due to this the number of tackle football teams has remained relatively stable, and there’s a bigger focus on flag football partly because of increased attention and funding linked to its inclusion in the next Summer Olympics.
Still, Kovaříková has seen significant growth since she first became involved with the sport. The first women’s tackle league launched in 2016, followed by the introduction of women’s flag football in 2019. Today, the tackle league remains stable, while participation in flag football continues to increase, reflecting a broader rise in interest in the sport.
“When I started, there was no league, only three teams and a Women’s Cup,” Kovaříková said. “In recent seasons, there has been one league with a stable number of five teams playing, while the number of flag football teams is increasing.”
Kovaříková believes the Czech women’s league is among the top in Europe. Last year the league swept the board against the United Kingdom, one of the top nations in the world when it comes to women’s tackle football.
There’s a lot that goes into the sport, and women’s tackle football deserves greater recognition because of the unique demands it places on athletes.
“It is the most team-oriented sport in the world,” Kovaříková said. “It requires discipline, fitness,
strength, aggressiveness, mental resilience, a deep understanding of the game, and mastery of the playbook.”
Additionally, Kovaříková emphasized how tackle football is the most complex sport she knows. In Kovaříková’s life, American football is more than just a hobby. She also serves as a coach and flag football manager, having experience of both coaching youth teams and refereeing men’s football at a high level. Despite becoming a mother and overcoming injuries, Kovaříková returned to the field and the motto that she goes by is inked on her arm: “As long as I breathe, I play.”
As women’s American football continues to grow in the Czech Republic, players like Petra Kovaříková are proving that the sport is about much more than championships. It’s about building a community, breaking stereotypes, and creating opportunities for the next generation of athletes. The commitment to the sport from teams like the Brno Amazons shows that women’s tackle football has established a lasting place in the Czech Republic.
