FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) -The Fargo Park District launched the state’s first high school girls flag football program in partnership with the Minnesota Vikings.

The program is part of a national trend. More than 68,000 girls played high school flag football last year, and participation jumped about 60 percent in a single year.

For senior Jennaya Volk, the new league is the answer to years of asking.

“I play track and basketball. I’m in track right now and I’ve been wanting a football team since I was a little kid,” Volk said. “I bothered my school every year since middle school to finally get a team and my senior year they finally get a high school league and I’m the only one from our school in the whole entire league.”

When Volk found out girls flag football was coming to Fargo, she signed up right away.

“I started screaming, I was upstairs in my room when I found out and I screamed down to my parents that they’re starting a high school league,” she said. “I signed up right away… the website wasn’t working and I was like ‘I need to get in!’ So just really excited about it.”

This new league is proving that everyone is welcome and many of Volk’s teammates had zero experience with flag football. That was the case for Fargo North student, Tempy Meier.

“Uhh, I’ve had zero experience. I’ve played catch with my Dad just in our yard but that’s all my experience that I have,” she said.

Her coach said that’s true for most of the roster. The team practices once a week, then plays games on Sundays.

“I’m just proud of these guys. We get 1 practice a week, and then we have a game on Sundays, so they’ve had to drink through a fire hose when it comes to learning football,” the coach said. “I’m just incredibly proud of what we’ve been able to get done in that time.”

The coach said the team stayed positive even after falling behind in the first game.

“We were down early in the first game and I asked some on the sideline ‘You guys don’t like hate this because we’re losing now right?’ And they were like ‘No! This is really fun,’” the coach said.

Volk encouraged other girls to try the sport.

“Go for it… Don’t let anyone stop you, don’t let anyone judge you, just go for what makes you happy,” she said. “Go for a sport that might not be popular right now but it will be, so just go for it.”

Meier said she has no regrets.

“Oh heck yeah. I’m so glad I did it. I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said.

Flag football will make its debut on the Olympic stage in 2028.

BROOKLYN PARK, MN (CBS News) –The National Transportation Safety Board says it is investigating after an airplane crashed near Minneapolis late Saturday morning. According to the NTSB, it was a Beech F33A plane that crashed.

Two people were inside the aircraft, according to the FAA. The Brooklyn Park Police Department said that both people in the plane died. The police have been in contact with the family of the deceased.

WCCO has been able to confirm that one of the deceased in the plane was a North Dakota Representative, Liz Conmy.

North Dakota Democratic Minority Leader Zac Ista said in a statement, “I am completely devastated at the loss of our friend Liz. She lived life to its fullest, never shying from adventure or speaking her mind—often in refreshingly direct terms.”

Conmy has ties the University of St. Thomas and Minnesota State University.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner will release the name of the other person inside the plane.

Local fire crews were on scene within minutes of receiving the call, according to officials.

The Metropolitan Airport Commission confirmed that a single-engine aircraft departed from the Crystal, Minnesota, airport.

There are no details on what could have led to the crash.

BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (FOX 9) – A small plane crashed near Crystal Airport, killing both people on board and drawing a swift response from emergency crews and neighbors.

READ MORE: Fiery plane crash near Crystal Airport leaves 2 dead

Emergency response and community reaction after crash

What we know:

Investigators say the crash happened shortly after takeoff, with the plane identified as a Beech F33A. The Brooklyn Park Fire Department arrived within minutes and put out the fire. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed there were two people on the plane and local authorities said there were no survivors.

Neighbors living near the crash site described hearing a loud boom and seeing flames. 

“I was in the house, in my bedroom, and my daughter was eating cereal at the kitchen table, and there was a really loud boom,” said Ashley Capp, who lives across the street. 

Kim Clark, another neighbor, said, “It was scary because it was like, it’s really close to my home, and my family stays here.”

Clark captured video of the plane engulfed in flames just after the crash. 

“We look across the street, and it was a huge flame, huge fire. And then everybody started calling 911, and some people were getting close to see if there were anybody alive. But then it kind of started to spark, and the flames started to get bigger,” said Clark.

Police arrived quickly, but neighbors said the fire made it impossible to help those inside the plane. 

“The police got here in a few minutes, but it was kind of sad to watch them. You could almost tell on their faces that there was a person in there, and they were kind of circling the plane; they couldn’t do anything without fire,” said Capp.

The crash marks the second deadly plane crash in Brooklyn Park in more than a year. 

“It’s getting more and more worrisome because we’re kind of in the line of the airport there,” said Clark.

North Dakota Rep. among those killed

Dig deeper:

North Dakota State Rep. Liz Conmy was confirmed as one of the two people killed. North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong released a statement saying, “Kjersti and I are saddened by this tragic loss and offer our deepest condolences to her family, friends and fellow legislators. We ask North Dakotans to join us in keeping them in our prayers.”

North Dakota State Senator Tim Mathern also released a statement saying, “Rep. Liz Conmy was my running mate and friend. She had a zest for life and a strong work ethic. Our democracy needs more like her. She will be missed by Democrats and Republicans alike. Her family has our love and support.”

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is expected to arrive on scene either Monday night or early Tuesday morning to begin a closer investigation of the wreckage. More details could become available once investigators have examined the site.

What we don’t know:

The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. Investigators have not released the identity of the second person on board or additional details about what led to the crash.