LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — While studies show Nevada youth sports participation trails the national average by 10 percentage points, one sport is bucking that trend: flag football, particularly among young girls, is growing at a rapid pace across the state.
Nevada was one of the first states to authorize flag football as a high school varsity sport in 2016. More than 1,800 girls played high school flag football in Nevada last year — a number that has tripled since 2014 — giving the state one of the strongest programs in the nation.
Nevada State launches first college flag football team
In the fall, Nevada State University launched its first flag football team. In February, the Scorpions won the state’s first college flag football game and remain undefeated. The 25-player roster is made up largely of local athletes.
Yvonne Wade, Nevada State University’s first athletic director, said she knew flag football would be the program’s first team when she took the position last year.
“Flag football is such an emerging sport,” Wade said. “It’s so much excitement behind it right now with NFL teams, the youth programs that are backing the sport.”
Wade said the talent among her players reflects a broader shift in how young women view the sport.
“There’s so much athletic talent here, you know, and the girls can play just as hard as the boys here,” she said.
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Young athletes eye college scholarships
Seventh-grader Avery Fuimaono began playing flag football in elementary school and said she now has dreams of playing at the college level.
“I really like the sport because I can really like, I like catching the ball and getting touchdowns, and it makes me feel good every time,” Fuimaono said.
She said seeing women earn scholarships in the sport has changed her outlook.
“When I was little, I thought that only men would get scholarships,” Fuimaono said. “When I was saying women get scholarships today, it encourages me to get one too.”
Sport gains national and Olympic recognition
Flag football was recently approved to join the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program, the first step toward potentially becoming an official sport across all three NCAA divisions. The sport is also set to make its Olympic debut at the LA28 Summer Games.
Next year, Nevada State University plans to apply for NAIA membership.
Wade said the opportunities ahead are significant for young players.
“Dream big. Anything is possible. Play hard. Don’t let them tell you can’t do it, because you can,” Wade said. “And you can go to college doing it, too.”
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