Flag football gives female players sense of community, scholarship options and soon shot at Olympics

By PAT GRAHAM
AP Sports Writer

DENVER (AP) — Flag football’s inclusion in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles only enhances the profile of a sport that’s growing by leaps and bounds on the women’s side. Flag football is already sanctioned as a varsity sport for girls in eight states, with more seemingly on the way. The sport has also received the backing from the NFL, which sponsors leagues, and nearly two dozen NAIA colleges are now issuing scholarships to female players. On the youth level, teams and leagues are springing up from coast to coast and even from continent to continent. It’s also creating a sense of community.