Van Buren Eaglettes Flag Football Player Ellie Grissom enters the season with clear expectations, and even higher standards for herself.
“I want to do better and do more this year,” Grissom said. “So I’ve kind of set goals to help me do better. I want to get over 2,000 yards and 15 or more touchdowns.”
After a breakout first season, Grissom has already established herself as one of the most dynamic players in the Upper Cumberland. Using her speed, focus and versatility, she piled up more than 1,600 total yards and 14 touchdowns last season, leading Van Buren in rushing yards, receiving yards and total scores.
Grissom’s success on the gridiron is rooted in another sport she has played for much of her life. A basketball player at Van Buren County since elementary school, Grissom said she credits her defensive instincts on the court for easing the transition to flag football.
“The defense I would say is pretty much the same,” Grissom said. “And I’m pretty good at defense in basketball, using my speed and aggressiveness, so they pretty much go hand in hand.”
That combination of speed and aggressiveness shows up on both sides of the ball. Whether she is breaking free for long runs, stretching defenses as a receiver or making plays defensively, Grissom impacts games in multiple ways, often in crucial moments. One of those moments still stands out from last season.
“We were playing Bledsoe and our quarterback threw [the football] to Cara [Mills],” Grissom said. “It was raining, so it slipped out of her hands when she caught the touchdown and I caught it balancing out of bounds.”
Grissom’s production reached another level late last season, including a performance where she rushed for more than 250 yards, earning her National Flag Football Player of the Week honors during one of the final regular-season games.
As one of five seniors playing flag football for Van Buren this season, Grissom said she understands her role goes beyond statistics. Grissom said her focus remains on the example she sets for those who will follow.
“I hope they would say I have good leadership and that I’m tough and that I play hard,” Grissom said.
With clear goals, proven production and a mindset shaped by years of competition, Grissom said she continues to push Van Buren County flag football forward, determined to leave the program better than she found it.
