COLORADO SPRINGS — About 75 girls, ages 10 to 18, gathered this week at a girls' pro flag football camp in Colorado Springs — a clear sign of how fast the sport is gaining ground across Colorado.
“To see the growth, just for women in general, is amazing," said Vana Medrano, quarterback for the Denver Rush, who coached at the camp. "These young women are coming out and wanting to play in a sport that’s mainly for men."
Medrano shared her passion for the game and her hope that these young athletes take full advantage of the opportunities now available.
“I wish I started when I was younger," she said. "The opportunity is amazing."
Now recognized as Colorado’s 33rd sanctioned high school sport — and the 18th for girls — flag football marks a significant step forward for gender equity in athletics.
The sport’s momentum is especially clear at schools like Denver South, where flag football is quickly becoming part of school culture.
“It means a lot because I got to be part of the first official flag football team at my school,” said one camper who did not want to be identified for this story. “Never even thrown a football before, and I instantly fell in love.”
Medrano said the biggest takeaway she hopes to leave campers with is a belief in themselves.
“I hope they leave this camp with confidence," Medrano said. "Knowing they can do it, and that the sky is the limit."
The local nonprofit Pro Football Camp will host three youth events this summer, bringing in NFL, UFL, and women’s pro players to coach and mentor kids on and off the field.
