By Robert Medley
Senior Staff Writer
Austin Starks played football for Mustang High School for four years.
These days, nine years after his career ended, he plays for fun.
As a tax preparer by day, Starks, 28, still plays football, flag football that is. Starks has started the Oklahoma Adult Athletics League.
The league is for flag football and kickball so far, and it started a year ago in Yukon.
Flag football games are played currently at Score OKC, 18509 N Meridian, about 5 miles east of Piedmont city limits in the Deer Creek school district.
“It’s a pretty popular sports league right now,” Starks said.
He said there are several seasons each year for games. Each season there have been 10 teams.
“So, you know, it’s big and it stays big,” Starks said.
Exercise and socialization are motivations for forming the league, he said.
“The main reason I wanted to do this sports league is to help the community stay active as well as bringing the community together, making those connections in the community and just giving people an outlet for something to do,” Starks said.
Starks is from Oklahoma City. He was a Mustang Bronco from 2011 to 2014 where he played linebacker.
The league also will offer kickball in Yukon in the spring.
Details are being worked out and will be announced later.
MUST BE 18
To join the flag football fun, a player must be at least 18 years old. The league is for men and women playing on teams.
“Our only requirement is that you are 18 years old, and you want to have fun and play sports. I’ve got people who are 18 years old playing flag football to people in their 50s,” Starks said.
“It is a well-diverse group. Anyone can come out and play and anyone can have a spot. It is not just a big group of athletes. There is a whole community of people. It’s about just wanting to go out, to have fun, just to play.”
The next flag football season starts Oct. 27, and it lasts through mid-December.
The league for recreational sports has grown quickly.
“We are always looking for sponsors and people who want to help make the league grow,” Starks said.
For more information, visit http://www.okadultathletics.com.
