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More than 160 girls in Salinas took to the field at Rabobank Stadium Monday for the inaugural Banderas United, a free girl's flag football experience that aims to introduce the rising sport to young woman throughout the United States and Mexico.
Twelve coaches from across the Central Coast led girls of all ages through a series of warmups, drills and games as parents looked on from the stadium bleachers and a DJ kept the energy high.
Presented by the HER is US Foundation in partnership with the Reggie Stephens Foundation, NORCAL Flag Football, and Alisal High School Girls Flag Football and delivered by over a dozen community organizations, businesses and volunteers, the one-day camp focused on athletics, mentorship, leadership development and community engagement.
Following Salinas, the Banderas United tour continues through San Jose, Antioch, Baja, Mexico, San Diego, Compton, Monterrey, Mexico and Mesa, Arizona.
Former NY Giants player Reggie Stephens and sponsor of the tour through the Reggie Stephens Foundation said the tour is a chance for girls and families to learn about one of the fastest growing high school sports in the nation.
More: Which states have sanctioned girls high school flag football?
"You do not know if you're a really good flag football player unless you show up," Stephens said. "For so long football has been a man's sport and now women have this opportunity that is theirs. It is amazing to see how many young ladies have shown up for this first camp."
Jose Sanchez, founder of Her is US Foundation said holding the series of one-day camps is all about equity.
"This sport is growing so fast—we are still at the very beginning of it, but by the time the Olympics happen, it's going to change everything," Sanchez said.
Flag football will debut as an Olympic sport in 2028 when the global sports competition is held in Los Angeles.
Across the country, the number of participants in girls flag football increased by more than 50% from 2023-24 to 2024-25, according to the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS), with a total of 68,847 girls across the nation participating in flag football in 2024-25 compared to 42,955 the previous year. Across California more than 2,000 schools offer flag football programs.
As girls flag football grows at the high school level, collegiate opportunities are expanding as well. Flag football is growing at the NCAA Division 1 varsity level, with schools like Alabama State, Long Island, Mercyhurst, Mount St. Mary’s, UT Arlington and Cal Poly announcing they will start or have plans to start a varsity women's flag football team, while there are over 75 teams at the club level competing in the upcoming 2026-27 academic year. Many others in the Division II and III ranks also have varsity teams.
Sanchez said girls getting into the sport now can take advantage of scholarship opportunities as flag football expands to more colleges. The NFL has also signaled that it is invested in seeing flag football grow as it helps colleges start teams and pivoted to flag football at the Pro Bowl, which drew 4.7 million viewers to last year's game.
"You have some families that don't have savings for college and now there is a true pathway opening up where they can go to university and get those jobs they wanted," Sanchez said. "If you look down the road five, 10 years from now whenever the NFL ends up launching a professional league—it will be the most dominant professional female sport in America—without a doubt."
This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: Ex-NY Giant’s sponsored flag football tour is a hit in Salinas
Continue reading...
Twelve coaches from across the Central Coast led girls of all ages through a series of warmups, drills and games as parents looked on from the stadium bleachers and a DJ kept the energy high.
Presented by the HER is US Foundation in partnership with the Reggie Stephens Foundation, NORCAL Flag Football, and Alisal High School Girls Flag Football and delivered by over a dozen community organizations, businesses and volunteers, the one-day camp focused on athletics, mentorship, leadership development and community engagement.
Following Salinas, the Banderas United tour continues through San Jose, Antioch, Baja, Mexico, San Diego, Compton, Monterrey, Mexico and Mesa, Arizona.
Former NY Giants player Reggie Stephens and sponsor of the tour through the Reggie Stephens Foundation said the tour is a chance for girls and families to learn about one of the fastest growing high school sports in the nation.
More: Which states have sanctioned girls high school flag football?
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"You do not know if you're a really good flag football player unless you show up," Stephens said. "For so long football has been a man's sport and now women have this opportunity that is theirs. It is amazing to see how many young ladies have shown up for this first camp."
Jose Sanchez, founder of Her is US Foundation said holding the series of one-day camps is all about equity.
"This sport is growing so fast—we are still at the very beginning of it, but by the time the Olympics happen, it's going to change everything," Sanchez said.
You must be registered for see images
Flag football will debut as an Olympic sport in 2028 when the global sports competition is held in Los Angeles.
Across the country, the number of participants in girls flag football increased by more than 50% from 2023-24 to 2024-25, according to the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS), with a total of 68,847 girls across the nation participating in flag football in 2024-25 compared to 42,955 the previous year. Across California more than 2,000 schools offer flag football programs.
As girls flag football grows at the high school level, collegiate opportunities are expanding as well. Flag football is growing at the NCAA Division 1 varsity level, with schools like Alabama State, Long Island, Mercyhurst, Mount St. Mary’s, UT Arlington and Cal Poly announcing they will start or have plans to start a varsity women's flag football team, while there are over 75 teams at the club level competing in the upcoming 2026-27 academic year. Many others in the Division II and III ranks also have varsity teams.
Sanchez said girls getting into the sport now can take advantage of scholarship opportunities as flag football expands to more colleges. The NFL has also signaled that it is invested in seeing flag football grow as it helps colleges start teams and pivoted to flag football at the Pro Bowl, which drew 4.7 million viewers to last year's game.
"You have some families that don't have savings for college and now there is a true pathway opening up where they can go to university and get those jobs they wanted," Sanchez said. "If you look down the road five, 10 years from now whenever the NFL ends up launching a professional league—it will be the most dominant professional female sport in America—without a doubt."
This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: Ex-NY Giant’s sponsored flag football tour is a hit in Salinas
Continue reading...
