A D.C. man has been convicted of first-degree murder for killing another man over a 2021 game of flag football.
A D.C. man has been convicted of first-degree murder for killing another man over a 2021 game of flag football.
A D.C. Superior Court jury found 22-year-old Antonio “Slick” Hawley Jr. guilty of shooting and killing 26-year-old Aaron Wiggins at Watkins Elementary in Southeast on Oct. 6, 2021.
Wiggins, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, had scored the winning touchdown during a late-night pickup game on the school’s sports field.
Players were talking trash during and after the game. Witnesses said that curses and insults were flung between the groups, and things got heated between the two teams.
Prosecutors said Hawley pulled a handgun from another player’s bag and fired 17 shots, hitting Wiggins 13 times. Wiggins died at the scene.
Hawley fled the scene but was later identified by eyewitnesses and video footage. He was arrested in December 2021.
Hawley is scheduled to be sentenced April 10.
WTOP’s Jeffery Leon and Ciara Wells contributed to this report.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
Karisma Mendez doesn’t stand out in one sport but the senior at Burroughs High has drawn attention in two sports.
A gifted and polished infielder for the softball team, she has also distinguished herself on the first-ever flag football team as a quarterback for the Bears.
Mendez’s play was noticed and was selected to play for Mexico in the recently played Friendship Bowl.
“Becoming a part of the Friendship Bowl team for Mexico came from when one of their managers got in contact with one of the softball parents who told my mom that they were looking for a flag football player to play alongside with the team and had a Mexican family background,” she said. “The experience I had with the girls was amazing and such a once in a lifetime experience.”
Mendez, who plays second base and shortstop, added: “The players and coaches were very welcoming, and it was such a great atmosphere as it felt like family when playing with them,” she noted.
Mendez, who also played wide receiver and linebacker, stood out on the gridiron because she’s quick with the pass after tossing 25 touchdowns but also ready to run when it’s necessary after averaging 30.5 yards a game and scoring five touchdowns during the season.
“I loved every single moment playing flag football my senior year. Our team had such great chemistry with each other and we all had so much fun as we were learning the game throughout the season together,” she said. “I believe the best highlights of this season was when we figured out what we were capable of doing and accomplished it towards the end of the season.”
Mendez, who helped the Bears to an 11-13 record, continued: “Being able to throw around 35 to 40 yards and the girls being able to receive them,” she said. “That’s when our connections hit the most.”
Karisma Mendez plays softball and flag football for Burroughs and was also a member of Team Mexico in the recent Friendship Bowl flag football game. (Photo courtesy Karisma Mendez)
Keith Knoop is the Burroughs athletic director and its flag football coach and previously its football coach.
“Karisma is such a fantastic person. She took to girls’ flag football like a bird to flight,” he explained. “Girls’ flag football truly lit a fire in her to love this new phenomenon known as flag football. She was determined to be good and competitive and learn the game. Honestly, she made me excited to coach again.”
Playing softball and later flag football was something Mendez, who will attend college but probably won’t play softball, had in her sights and relished.
“I wanted to play softball in high school because of my life revolving around this sport and all my free time indulging and preparing for games and practices. My siblings played for Burroughs. My sister played softball, and my brother played baseball. I was influenced by myself to become better at them, because of my competitiveness” she said. “As for flag football, I wanted to try something new. I knew my siblings played one season when they were in middle school, so I wanted to test it out and see if I was also able to play. Turns out I was right! But in all seriousness, I wanted to play flag football as it’s a growing sport at the moment especially now that women are getting more recognition playing sports.”
Mendez went on: “Seeing football players wear shirts that encourage those to watch girls’ flag football and seeing the Olympics adding flag football is amazing and now seeing that softball is finally getting a league that is sponsored by MLB,” she said. “It’s great seeing more and more recognition of women’s sports overall.”
Playing two sports takes time, skill and effort and it also requires being patient and analytical.
“To prepare for both softball and flag football I will usually visually manifest what my performance would be to the very breath. I would visualize my swing from gripping the bat to the weather on my skin to the sound of the dugout, and the feeling when hitting,” Mendez acknowledged. “Same goes for flag football, visualizing my grip when throwing, the feeling of the turf, the windows that are possible with the plays, and making that throw to the wide receivers’ hands. Every sport comes down to being a mental game.”
Mendez is about to play her final season on the softball field and she expects it to be rewarding.
“Playing softball has been such an experience with me as I grew up. My entire life revolves around this sport. Starting when I was four years old playing travel ball to now finishing my career during the spring of my senior year,” she said. “I have loved this sport and there were times I had dreaded this sport but yet there has never been a dull moment while playing this sport.”
Mendez continued: “Softball is such a mental game that takes a toll on you, but in the end it is a game you play along with some of your best friends,” she stated. “The connection the softball team has to Burroughs is such a great culture. We all have each other’s backs, and we have such great chemistry on the field.”
Karisma Mendez (No. 34) and her Team Mexico flag football teammates. (Photo courtesy Karisma Mendez)
Doug Nicol is a longtime coach at Burroughs and has seen first-hand Mendez help the Bears to two Pacific League championships.
“I am looking forward to Karisma having a sensational senior year. She is going to be counted on to be a leader on this team,” he said. “She has won two league titles in her three years here at Burroughs, and I know how much a third would mean to her.”
Nicol knows that Mendez is determined to cap her softball career in style.
“She has been putting in the work, both on the field and in the weight room and I am excited to watch her crush it this year,” he said.
Toiling at two sports requires laser-focused dedication and that’s not counting time in the classroom.
“I believe sports helped me become a leader, a problem solver, and become a critical thinker. When playing softball, you need to know the play before the ball gets hit, knowing how many outs, what’s the situation, and know who you should throw to if you get the ball,” Mendez said. “It’s such a critical game that helps thinking on the spot and helps communicating with others.”
Mendez added: “Even if you don’t have the title of being a captain, there’s times where you might need to lead,” she stated. “Meaning helping another player, being there for them, and being vocal during games. With flag football, it helped me learn new skills, being able to adapt to a whole different game by using the same mechanics and alternate them for the better.”
Mendez is keenly aware what her strengths are and they are numerous.
“The best attributes I have both on the field and in the classroom are being a critical thinker and problem solver. There have been so many times in the classroom where I had been confused on the topic but there wouldn’t be a time I would give up,” she said. “That plays along with being on the field. I would never give up if I am in a slump as I would try and find different ways and methods to get myself out of it.”
Mendez wasn’t finished with her thought: “The best thing to do when struggling is to never give up and to keep on trying and you will find a pathway, even if it becomes bumpy,” she said.
Mendez addressed specifically how she gets out of a down period.
“When I was in a slump, I would ask for guidance from either coaches or from the girls. I wouldn’t give up on myself since I knew I had the potential. It was just a matter of fixing my attitude, my rhythm and trying something different,” she said. “Asking for guidance lets you get a perspective others are seeing that could help you solve the puzzle.”
Mendez was asked which softball game or games were the most memorable to date.
“One game that had stood out to me was playing against Crescenta Valley last year, 2025 Senior night,” she said. “I believe that had been one of the best games I had played and a game the entire team did very well. We all played our very best. We were all on our toes wanting that win for Senior Night and in the end we got that win. Another game that had stood out was a pre-season game from this fall as I hit my first home run out of the park against Notre Dame. It felt amazing finally getting that home run I’ve been waiting for my entire high school career.”
In a few months, Mendez will begin her final season as a softball player at the high school level and it will be bittersweet.
“I believe what I will miss the most about high school and playing two different sports is the coaching staff and the girls. Playing with Coach Doug and with Coach Knoop has been such an honor as they both have been coaching for a long time at Burroughs,” she offered. “As for the girls, I have such great love for them all as they had become such amazing friends to play along with and the girls on flag football team created a great experience all together by figuring out how to play a sport, we all barely knew how to play.”
Nicol appreciates everything Mendez has brought to the softball program.
“Karisma is such a joy to coach. With Karisma, you never have to worry if she is going to come to practice ready to go,” he said. “She is dedicated to our program and comes to practice each day with intensity and ready to work hard.”
Nicol continued: “She understands that each day is a competition and realizes that she is a leader in our program who the younger girls look for guidance and to continue the culture that has been built by those before her,” he said. “She wasn’t given anything in her career here at Burroughs. She has had to earn everything, and that was only done because of her work ethic and because she is a person of high character who takes pride in giving 100 percent every single day. She is just an outstanding person who I enjoy coaching very much.”
The College of Saint Benedict (CSB) has announced that it will introduce its first-ever women’s flag football team this spring.
The announcement was celebrated during the halftime of the Saint John’s University football game on Oct. 25, as the Bennie flag football team captains were introduced to the crowd on the field, followed by a ceremonial “first pass.”
“With St. John’s being such a powerful football school already, it’s just amazing how it can transfer to St. Ben’s now,” said Alaina Pundsack, a freshman at CSB and a flag football captain.
CSB, joining several other Minnesota colleges in introducing flag football, is part growing initiative by the Minnesota Vikings. It started a few years ago, when the Vikings invested in flag football at the high school and middle school levels. Now, they’re putting resources into the college level too.
It’s good timing as the players who benefited in high school are graduating and want to keep playing, like Pundsack. She played flag football for Mounds View High School last spring.
“I loved it, so over the summer I reached out to our athletic director to see if it was a possibility [at St. Ben’s],” said Pundsack.
Pundsack says they’ve had 50 girls show interest in playing already.
“That’s a really incredible number to have,” said Pundsack.
Pundsack has been working with CSB’s director of athletics, Kelly Anderson Diercks, to launch this new sport on campus.
“I’m a firm believer in what athletics does, particularly for women, being able to give them lessons outside the classroom when it comes to being a good teammate, when it comes to managing your time, when it comes to doing hard things,” said Anderson Diercks.
One of the big appeals to flag football is that it’s open to anyone who wants to try it.
“It’s really cool because it’s such a new sport, you don’t really have to have previous knowledge or experience to play,” said Pundsack.
“I think it’s a really exciting time for what the future of flag football could look like,” said Anderson Diercks.
Ari Fletcher and her son, Yosohn, are once again proving they’re a whole vibe—this time, trading luxury fits for football cleats. While Ari’s known to pop out with a look, sis also knows when to play the proud mama role, and fans are loving this new side of her. Let’s just say… the sidelines have never looked so stylish.
Ari’s On The Sidelines, But Yosohn’s Running The Field!
Ari took to Instagram with a photo dump that had her followers in their feelings and in her comments. The pics and clips featured Yosohn hitting the field, making plays, and letting everybody know who’s really boss out there. Whether it was him flexing his game or Ari cheering from the sidelines, iced-out and locked in, one thing’s clear—this moment was giving football mom energy with flair. She even rocked a shirt that read, “Somebody’s Loud Mouth Football Mama” — because of course, Ari’s gonna make a statement! While it’s unclear if this was Yosohn’s official flag football debut, it’s safe to say he already got the people talking like he’s a pro!
The Comment Section Doesn’t Play ‘Bout Yosohn
Ari’s and The Shade Room’s comment section lit up fast, with fans giving Yosohn all his flowers. Folks are already saying he’s good at everything he does, predicting an NFL career like it’s written in the stars. One thing they all agreed on? Lil man tore everybody up on that field—periodt!
One Instagram user @shanejustin said, “Aries Baby 🔥 we good at anything we do 💪🏾”
This Instagram user @yazmiinnee added, “Yea, he going to the NFL and gone rap on the side 😂😍”
And, Instagram user @leswervo wrote, “Why yoshon out there lookin like he already pro😭❤️”
Instagram user @dominiquechinn shared, “Love seeing kids doing sports!!! It keeps them iff them iPads and phones too👏🔥”
Meanwhile, Instagram user @hoop_dreams commented, “Footwork looks really good for his age 💪”
While, Instagram user @_dan_da_great said, “Young Rising Star 🔥🔥”
Finally, Instagram user @itskylesisterari aded, “Aaaaye!!!! He finna tear everybody up on the field! Go Yosohn!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥”
Football Mom, But Make It Fashion!
Ari Fletcher is stepping into her football mom era, and she’s making it very clear—she’s here for all of it! But of course, Ari had to put her signature spin on things. She shared a video showing off her custom bedazzled football cup, because baybeee, Ari doesn’t do basic! Even Yosohn chimed in, joking that they did her dirty for not including a straw—and honestly, he had a point!
Ari fletcher just recently Became a football mom an decided to get her a custom cup but of course yosohn had his own opinion 🤣🤣 it really be your own kids 🤣 #momsoftiktok
The Golden State Storm, Northern California’s newest professional women’s football team, is highlighting high school girls’ flag football to inspire the next generation of athletes.”This has opened the door for them to actually be able to show off their skill, their speed, their agility, and really just be rock stars out there,” said Nichelle Haynes, a parent.The Vanden Vikings girls’ flag football team, formed last year, is one of the teams benefiting from this initiative. Players have expressed excitement about the camaraderie and teamwork they experience.”It’s fun. There’s a lot of team chemistry. We’ve all been friends before we even got on the team. So like, if we play as a team, we’re going to win as a team,” said Makenna Holloway, a player for Vanden High School.Parents like Nichelle are thrilled about the opportunities now available for girls interested in flag football. “I mean, I’m super excited about all the opportunities that they have now for the girls playing flag football. So, I mean, it’s about time, right? Because so many women have always had an interest in football. We just never had an entryway,” said Haynes.The Storm is hosting its first-ever Golden State Showdown matchup, featuring Vanden and Rocklin high schools, to provide accessibility and showcase what the professional space can look like. The team aims to encourage players to continue the sport at the collegiate level and beyond.”This is more so for us to really just focus on providing accessibility and showing them what the professional space can look like. Obviously, the sport is growing at the collegiate level, so we want them to continue that in the collegiate level, and after that, there will be a professional space for them to play,” said Guppy Uppal, a team representative.Players and parents are hopeful for the future of the sport. “I want to go to college to do this and play professionally,” said Holloway. Haynes added, “With this coming, this has opened up a lot of doors for a lot of girls who have never thought about competing on the next level when it comes to sports.”The outreach program is just the beginning of what the professional team has planned. Over the next eight weeks, the team will travel across Northern California to build connections with high school flag programs and shine a spotlight on local talent.”This is the opportunity for us to really go out there and build our touch point with the girls’ high school flag programs across the Northern California region, but also amplify the talent that is that currently exists here,” said a team representative.The Golden State Storm will highlight 24 matches this fall across the Sacramento and San Joaquin regions, all in hopes of growing flag football in Northern California.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
FAIRFIELD, Calif. —
The Golden State Storm, Northern California’s newest professional women’s football team, is highlighting high school girls’ flag football to inspire the next generation of athletes.
“This has opened the door for them to actually be able to show off their skill, their speed, their agility, and really just be rock stars out there,” said Nichelle Haynes, a parent.
The Vanden Vikings girls’ flag football team, formed last year, is one of the teams benefiting from this initiative. Players have expressed excitement about the camaraderie and teamwork they experience.
“It’s fun. There’s a lot of team chemistry. We’ve all been friends before we even got on the team. So like, if we play as a team, we’re going to win as a team,” said Makenna Holloway, a player for Vanden High School.
Parents like Nichelle are thrilled about the opportunities now available for girls interested in flag football.
“I mean, I’m super excited about all the opportunities that they have now for the girls playing flag football. So, I mean, it’s about time, right? Because so many women have always had an interest in football. We just never had an entryway,” said Haynes.
The Storm is hosting its first-ever Golden State Showdown matchup, featuring Vanden and Rocklin high schools, to provide accessibility and showcase what the professional space can look like. The team aims to encourage players to continue the sport at the collegiate level and beyond.
“This is more so for us to really just focus on providing accessibility and showing them what the professional space can look like. Obviously, the sport is growing at the collegiate level, so we want them to continue that in the collegiate level, and after that, there will be a professional space for them to play,” said Guppy Uppal, a team representative.
Players and parents are hopeful for the future of the sport.
“I want to go to college to do this and play professionally,” said Holloway.
Haynes added, “With this coming, this has opened up a lot of doors for a lot of girls who have never thought about competing on the next level when it comes to sports.”
The outreach program is just the beginning of what the professional team has planned. Over the next eight weeks, the team will travel across Northern California to build connections with high school flag programs and shine a spotlight on local talent.
“This is the opportunity for us to really go out there and build our touch point with the girls’ high school flag programs across the Northern California region, but also amplify the talent that is that currently exists here,” said a team representative.
The Golden State Storm will highlight 24 matches this fall across the Sacramento and San Joaquin regions, all in hopes of growing flag football in Northern California.
Grand Crossing resident Fallan White, 15, is doing what she can now to make a name for herself.
Not even old enough to drive, the wide receiver for Butler College Prep’s flag football team will graduate in 2028 — the same year flag football will make its Olympic debut at the Summer Games in Los Angeles — and she’s making sure she’s ready.
“It’s better to start off early than wait,” she said.
White was one of more than a dozen players from Butler in Lake Forest on Aug. 14 to partake in the festivities that surround Chicago Bears training camp. The event was among a handful this summer that brought five high schools with girls flag football teams to camp, including Simeon, Harvard, Homewood-Flossmoor and Carver Military Academy. The athletes met players, coaches and Bears President/CEO Kevin Warren, who donated cleats to each team.
The visits occurred right before the flag football season started, reflecting the Bears’ continued commitment to creating pathways for girls in football. Gustavo Silva, Bears manager of youth football and community programs, said roughly 200 schools will have girls flag football this year.He said Illinois is in the top five or six states for girls flag football participation. And to think the sport started with just 22 teams in Chicago Public Schools in 2021.
“Whether it’s playing for their rec league, park district, a Boys and Girls Club, a youth organization, for them to have a pathway … the goal is to make the game as inclusive and accessible as possible, to create different entry points so that anyone interested in playing the game, boy, girl, different abilities, can all have access to the game,” Silva said.
Angel Brooks, head coach of Butler’s flag team, has been involved with the sport for years, playing on Sundays for the Absolute Athletics league. Now the physical education teacher at Catherine Cook School is building out the high school team, many of whom are underclassmen playing varsity. In their second season, Brooks hopes to get enough athletes on the Lynx team to generate a JV team. She said the team’s 2024 win in one of the CPS Bowl championship games (the CPS Hardwork Bowl) is helping with recruitment.
“It’s (flag football) always been intriguing to me,” she said. “Being able to coach, it’s even more fun because it’s pleasing to see when the girls learn and start to understand the sport. It’s a sport that gives them their own lane and their own opportunities, and they enjoy it.”
Chicago Bears host Butler College Prep’s girls flag football team at Halas Hall on Aug. 14, 2025. (Chicago Bears)
The Lynx’s season starts Tuesday, and quarterback Nevaeh Beasley, 17, a senior, already has her sights on garnering flag football scholarships to pursue a degree in sports medicine.
“I’ve loved sports ever since I was little, so it has to be something with sports,” she said. Her advice for those curious about flag football: “Work hard and be dedicated, because this game could take you a long way, since it’s just starting out.”
Silva said Illinois was the ninth state in the nation to sanction flag football for girls in 2024; Ohio just got sanctioned, making the total 17. Now that Illinois colleges are building programs for girls flag (the Bears will host a college tournament for Illinois schools in March), Silva is looking forward to making more milestones in the field — from growing girls flag football to 300 high schools to strengthening the flag football pipeline, and getting girls flag sanctioned for the middle school population.
“With the Olympics in 2028, we’d love to see girls from Illinois and Chicago participate,” Silva said. “We have international leagues that we started — three in the UK and two in Spain that are going to start this fall. We want to see representation from our Chicago market.”
“We are working with middle schools starting a pilot league in Rockford this fall. … We want to use the same model that we did with the high school programs. The middle school level will feed the high school programs, which will feed the collegiate programs, and those collegiate and high school programs will feed the international programming. We’re trying to create a pathway from youth all the way through adulthood.”
Four high school girls’ flag football teams from Montgomery County, Maryland, scrimmaged on the field during the Commanders’ preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Four high school girls flag football teams from Montgomery County, Maryland, scrimmaged on the field during the Commanders’ preseason game on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, against the Bengals.(Courtesy Ciara Durkan)
Four high school girls flag football teams from Montgomery County, Maryland, scrimmaged on the field during the Commanders’ preseason game on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, against the Bengals.(Courtesy Ciara Durkan)
The Washington Commanders weren’t the only team preparing for their new season at Northwest Stadium on Monday night. Four high school girls’ flag football teams from Montgomery County, Maryland, scrimmaged on the field during the Commanders’ preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
One team described the experience as “electric.”
“When we got down to the field, we were like, ‘Oh, my gosh, we’re actually on NFL soil,’” said Sonia Pegoue, a senior linebacker and captain for the Walter Johnson High School flag football team.
“When I walked out onto the field, I almost blacked out. I can’t describe the feeling. It was unlike anything I’ve ever felt before,” added fellow captain Evalyn Grocki.
Teams from Seneca Valley High School, Paint Branch High School and Wheaton High School joined them for the scrimmages at halftime.
“Never again are they going to play with that many people, there’s thousands of people out there watching the game. They cheered us on like we were the actual team. And it was just … oh, my gosh,” Walter Johnson head coach Butch Worden said.
It is the team’s second year throwing touchdowns, running jet sweeps and pulling flags. Worden said he has been involved with traditional tackle programs but got involved with the inaugural flag football season last year.
“For over 100 years, the game has been around. They’ve been denied the chance to actually play the game. And so, I felt this is something I want to get myself into,” Worden said about girls getting involved in football.
And over the course of his first season, he saw the ladies on his team grow their love of the game.
“Every single day — and this is what keeps me coming to practice and what keeps me upbeat every single day — these girls love this. I mean, it’s an actual love for the game,” he said.
Grocki decided to leave the volleyball team and get involved in flag football after fondly remembering passing the pigskin in the yard with her dad.
“When you’re out there and the ball is snapped, at least for me, I just really kind of lock in on where the ball is and where the people are, and trying to get the flags, because it all happens so fast,” she said.
Pegoue, meanwhile, had some experience with tackle football before she joined the flag football team.
“I love how fierce we get on the field, even though it’s still no contact, there’s still a lot of energy around the flagpoles and the touchdowns and the interceptions and everything. I love to see it,” she said.
Walter Johnson will kick off its season on Sept. 3 at John F. Kennedy High School.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
Ponderosa High School’s varsity flag football team banded together for a good cause.On Monday night, the undefeated girls’ team played their game against Inderkum High School in honor of beloved resource officer, Deputy Adam Stockeland. In August, Deputy Stockeland was diagnosed with leukemia. “He wanted to be there for kids to support them,” said player Paige Fletcher. “We want to be there to support him in return.”Dozens of people came out to show their support for Stockeland, including law enforcement agencies and community members.The Bruins stadium was decorated with orange to create awareness. “Orange is the color for leukemia awareness,” Fletcher said. A longtime friend of Stockeland and school employee, Cindy St. Pierre, helped sell shirts to raise money. “The proceeds of the shirts go directly to him,” St. Pierre said. The message to him was, “You’re not fighting alone.”“This is how a community fights something so terrible together,” Fletcher said. Stockeland is recovering at home after being discharged from the hospital earlier on Monday.Do you have photos or video of an incident? If so, upload them to KCRA.com/upload. Be sure to include your name and additional details so we can give you proper credit online and on TV.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter
SHINGLE SPRINGS, Calif. —
Ponderosa High School’s varsity flag football team banded together for a good cause.
On Monday night, the undefeated girls’ team played their game against Inderkum High School in honor of beloved resource officer, Deputy Adam Stockeland.
In August, Deputy Stockeland was diagnosed with leukemia.
“He wanted to be there for kids to support them,” said player Paige Fletcher. “We want to be there to support him in return.”
Dozens of people came out to show their support for Stockeland, including law enforcement agencies and community members.
The Bruins stadium was decorated with orange to create awareness.
“Orange is the color for leukemia awareness,” Fletcher said.
A longtime friend of Stockeland and school employee, Cindy St. Pierre, helped sell shirts to raise money.
“The proceeds of the shirts go directly to him,” St. Pierre said.
The message to him was, “You’re not fighting alone.”
“This is how a community fights something so terrible together,” Fletcher said.
Stockeland is recovering at home after being discharged from the hospital earlier on Monday.
Do you have photos or video of an incident? If so, upload them to KCRA.com/upload. Be sure to include your name and additional details so we can give you proper credit online and on TV.
Eight states added flag football as a varsity sport last year, and 22 other states now are considering similar action. The NFL is helping the game’s expansion with funding and a massive marketing push. Kris Van Cleave reports.
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
The International Olympic Committee meets over the weekend in Mumbai, India to decide which sports will be played when the worldwide competition returns to the United States for the first time since 2002, when Salt Lake City, Utah hosted the Winter Games. The U.S. last hosted the Summer Games in Atlanta in 1996.
Competition would consist of 5-on-5 games where athletes wearing belts with tear-away flags would try to carry the ball across a 50-year field without having any of their flags taken by an opponent.
The U.S. men’s flag football team won the sport’s gold medal at the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Ala. with a victory over the Italian national team. The women’s team earned silver after being defeated by Mexico.
The NFL has worked to expand its brand since 2005, when the Arizona Cardinals played the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City. The league began hosting games in London in 2007. That’s now a regular occurence. Germany has also hosted NFL competitions.
Summer 2028 will mark the ninth time the Olympic games have taken place in the U.S.
In California, girls’ flag football is now an official varsity sport. And one team has two famous 49ers on the coaching staff. CBS Bay Area’s Vern Glenn reports.
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
The American Youth Flag Football league is hosting its first annual World Championships at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Jan 21-22, 2023
Press Release –
Aug 1, 2022
KISSIMMEE, Fla., August 1, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– On Jan. 21-22, 2023, flag football teams from across the USA will descend on The Most Magical Place on Earth for the AFFL Youth World Flag Football Championships. This tournament will take place at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Accommodations will be at the popular Disney’s All-Star Sports & Music Resort. This one-of-a-kind youth flag football tournament is open to ANY team from ANY league with all age groups from 6U-16U for the boys/co-ed division and 8U-17U for the girls division.
Each team will play four round robin games on Saturday for seedings. The top seed from each state in their respective age division advance to the World Championships on Sunday. In the championships, the top seeds will face the other top states and some international teams for the title of “Flag Football World Champions.” The other remaining teams will advance to the “Open National Championships.”
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play on the BEST fields and the BEST location. We are very excited to see which states have the top youth flag football teams out there,” AFFL Youth CEO Austin Bradshaw said. “We are also thrilled to open the tournament up to ANY team from ANY league. There are so many teams out there that play flag football but never get an opportunity to play on the biggest stage. Well, now they have their chance while having a fun family vacation.”
Tournament registration is open at www.zortssports.com. Registration ends Dec. 1, 2022, or when spaces sell out (whichever happens first). For more information, contact the AFFL Youth on Instagram via DM, email abradshaw@affl.com or visit www.afflyouth.com.
