Women's American Football: Team GB's Jo Kilby predicts a rapid growth of the sport

Team GB's Jo Kilby believes Women's American Football hopes their first ever international fixture will further raise the game's profile.

Jo Kilby, who is the captain of Birmingham Lions, hopes that the match against Sweden on Saturday will help to provide the platform for a further boost to the 300% increase in participation in the women's game.

''I hope that this is kind of a two-tier event in a way,'' Kilby told Sky Sports.

''It’s not just about the girls that are going there to represent their country and go and play in Sweden. What is an awesome, exciting, nerve-racking challenge - all of those things roll into one.

''We hope, as representatives of the game, at this state and it's infancy that - in reality - we hope to raise the sport's awareness and bring the women’s 18+ into the contact version of the game.

''There is also flag football which you can do at all ages but if we can use this opportunity to raise the profile of the game and grow the game then that’s an important result. We hope to go in there and enjoy this three-four day trip as it’s a magnificent opportunity to represent our country but beyond that (goal of playing one game) is also equally significant.''

Kilby is wary of the tough challenge Great Britain will face against a side with far more experience playing 11-a-side American Football, but is still confident about her team's chances.

''We really are looking at David and Goliath type of stuff, battle mode here," she added.

''They’re three years plus in the making. They’re playing domestic football at 11-a-side and we’re three months in the making. We play five-a-side football and the majority of the team has got 12 months' experience at best across, in the main state, five-a-side. So it’s a huge challenge for the group, but you’ve got to love that.

''You’ve got to love the fact that we’re going over there, taking this sport in its infancy and really go at the Swedes and see what we can do.''

Kilby believes there is far more to achieve beyond playing their first international fixture and that there is a long-term future for the international side.

''This isn’t a flash-in-a-pan fixture just for the PR, this is a boost for the sport. There’s talk about European Championships next year," she said.

''There’s a World Championship in 2017, so there’s massive aims and goals for us as an organisation. For the British football organisation I’m sure. 

''As players and our own club’s contribution to that. We want to be involved in that and we want to be playing whether there’s an incentive to play rather than you play week in, week out with nothing to show at the end of it.

''With the NFL influence ramping up, particularly around London and Wembley, and throughout the country, and with the backing of that it’s a great time to be involved in american football in this country.''