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Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
She might be the world's best receiver: Meet Isabella Geraci, U.S. flag football star
The last time they held this tournament, Isabella Geraci wasn't a thing yet. It was just three years ago. She was playing a different sport entirely, her upcoming ascendancy unfathomable. 'I don't know how to explain it,' teammate Madison Fulford said. 'She's kind of a vibe.' Through five seasons of Division I college basketball, Geraci's teams listed her at 5-foot-9, although the game made her feel smaller. Then, almost by accident, she began playing flag football to reclaim her identity. In a flash, Geraci not only made the U.S. national team, putting her on the cusp of becoming an Olympian, but she is also considered one of the greatest wide receivers in the world. The USA Football media guide correctly lists her at 5-foot-7. On the field, she is starting to look larger than life. 'When she stands next to you,' said Callie Brownson, 'there's a standing-next-to-giants kind of feel about her.' Brownson is USA Football's senior director of high performance and national team operations. She previously spent four years with the Cleveland Browns as their chief of staff and assistant wide receivers coach. Brownson is among those who declare Geraci, 24, the globe's best receiver (no qualifiers). 'I think about it a lot: How did I get here?' Geraci said last week near her suburban Cleveland home before departing for Chengdu, China, and the World Games, an international event for non-Olympic sports. 'What did I do? I really don't even know. It's a pinch-me moment all the time, where I can't believe I'm in this position.' Geraci is an avatar for flag football's profound growth. Girls and women are gravitating toward the burgeoning opportunities. The International Olympic Committee approved flag football for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, with the NFL heavily involved in promotions and letting its players participate. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) added women's flag football as a scholarship sport, while 17 states (and quickly growing) have sanctioned girls' flag football as a varsity sport. Talent development has been exponential, as evidenced by Team USA's roster turnover. Only two members of the roster that lost in a stunning blowout to Mexico in the 2022 World Games final are back this year: quarterback Vanita Krouch and defensive back Deliah Autry-Jones. 'We don't know what we are going to expect because the game has been growing that fast,' Mexico quarterback Diana Flores said of defending the team's gold medal. 'That's the most exciting part of this for me.' Geraci and the flag veteran who practically discovered her — record-setter Fulford — have emerged as an unfair receiving tandem that could dominate these World Games and didn't waste time Thursday, their colossal performances helping the Americans to a 2-0 start in the preliminary round. On USA's second play in the tournament's opening game, Geraci's post pattern blew the top off Canada's defense. Krouch's trademark sidearm delivery found Geraci wide open for a 45-yard touchdown. Geraci caught 10 of her 13 targets for 130 yards and three TDs with one extra point in a 39-31 victory. Albeit legally and unintentionally, she also laid out Canada defensive back Rosalie Landry, whose coverage got too tight. Fulford was held in check through the first half but scored the game's other two touchdowns on her only catches in the second half. A few hours later, Fulford was relentless in the USA's 48-34 victory over Austria. She caught 12 of her 13 targets for 156 yards and a touchdown. Fulford added an extra point — snagged on a pass that might've been intended for Geraci, who caught three of her four targets for 24 yards and a touchdown with an extra point. On Friday, the U.S. beat host China 39-12 to finish 3-0 in pool play, with Geraci and Fulford each recording another touchdown. They'll face Italy in the quarterfinals Saturday morning in China (Friday night Eastern time). 'There's really nothing like it,' Geraci said about her passion for flag football. 'I feel like it's my true calling.' There is no hemming or hawing from Brownson when asked what sets Geraci apart. Before taking the USA Football job in January, Brownson marveled at what she saw on video: size, the suction fingers, the ability to beat defenders with pure route running, leaping power, that-ball-is-mine defiance. 'It's like a vacuum, the way that her hands work, when the ball approaches, her grip,' Brownson said. 'She can win just off her routes, and that's essential in the five-on-five game, especially on short routes, where you have to win now. 'But a big strength of her game is what she does downfield. She's able to create separation, but when a 50-50 ball goes up in the air, it's Izzy's. It's really special to watch what she can do in contested situations.' To ask a football expert about comparables can be folly, potentially dangerous. Scouts and coaches are hesitant to load expectations on a player, no matter how accurate the resemblance may be. Especially when discussing a rookie. 'Sometimes, when she's stretching the field and makes an unbelievable play,' Brownson said, 'you see shades of Julio Jones, Calvin Johnson, who are the quarterback's dream: 'Hey, I'm in trouble, and I'm just going to put this up.' Izzy's down there somewhere.' Brownson, though, stressed she doesn't want to pigeonhole her because Geraci is equally extraordinary at short and intermediate routes, too. OK then. 'I buy it,' said Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II, ambassador for NFL Flag's high school girls campaign. Newsome and Geraci recently worked a camp together. 'I've seen some of the catches she's made, and it's unbelievable. There are clips of her making one-handed catches or going on top of two defenders in the back of the end zone, making incredible plays. 'She'll be a huge trailblazer in this movement.' Geraci doesn't sit still for long, but last week she spent a couple of hours reflecting with The Athletic about how fast it's all happened. She barely touched her latte at Emilie's Coffee House & Wine Bar in Avon, Ohio, just down the street from her family's jewelry store, where she also works. She always loved football, playing tackle from age 7 through her freshman year at North Ridgeville High in suburban Cleveland. Her nickname came about because one of her coaches couldn't bring himself to call her 'Isabella' around the boys. 'Izzy' stuck, but she couldn't stick with football. She gave it up because that's what young girls too often are told they must do to maximize their athletic pursuits. Her sports future was too bright, a scholarship too attainable for someone of her prowess, to focus on a sport women didn't play in college. So she played basketball and softball, golfed, ran sprints, long jumped and high jumped — pretty much everything but football. The 2018 Lorain County Student-Athlete of the Year accepted a scholarship to play basketball at Cleveland State. And was miserable. 'Basketball was one of those things she was just naturally great at,' her mother, Tammy Geraci, said from behind her work station at Peter & Co. Jewelers. 'But when she went to college, it was a totally different game. She just felt like she was getting kicked down. 'You could see her little flame was getting smaller and smaller.' On a long slog further mucked by COVID, Isabella trudged through her four years at Cleveland State but finished what she started, earning a marketing degree and transferring to South Carolina Upstate for a graduate season. The move brought her some joy. She studied business analytics, led the Spartans in rebounds and steals and took second in the high jump at the Sun Belt Conference outdoor track and field championships. Geraci's college athletic career ended on a pleasant note. Nevertheless, she remained unfulfilled and now stricken by the notion of being done. 'I was just looking for other ways,' Geraci said. 'I thought, 'Something needs to fix me.'' Football never stopped summoning her. Briefly living in Charlotte, Geraci researched women's football leagues of all types. She spotted that Fulford was playing in the area and asked for guidance. 'I thought she was super-electric in the flag-football world,' Geraci said. 'I remember watching her highlights and thinking, 'Dang, I want to be able to do stuff like that.'' Fulford pointed her in the right direction and provided some local contacts who put Geraci in a league. But it wasn't until Fulford saw highlights of the newbie that she realized bigger dreams were possible. There's a national flag football team, Geraci learned. The Olympics. NFL involvement. Television. The big time. Fulford invited Geraci to play on her exclusive club team, a break that fast-tracked Geraci's development and elevated her platform. The right people soon noticed. Geraci called it 'serendipity.' Despite this, Fulford refused to acknowledge making any discovery. 'No, no, no, no, no,' Fulford muttered, then punctuating with one last, loud, 'No! That girl is phenomenal. She would've easily found her way on this team without me. I just brought her into certain situations.' Brownson, however, insisted on giving Fulford credit for recognizing a future USA teammate and — when on the road for tournaments — roommate. Three years from now, they could be on the Olympic medal stand together in Los Angeles. 'I appreciate Madison giving us credit that we would have found Izzy, but timing is everything,' Brownson said. 'Who knows what would've happened without Madison getting Izzy into the sport when she did? 'The impact that it's had over the past two years by getting Izzy in the pool, Madison deserves a ton of credit. Little did she know she was bringing in her '2' for that 1-2 punch they give us. It's changed the dynamic of our offense completely.' At the forefront of that overhauled roster, the U.S. could have used them at the World Games three years ago. Back then, Geraci couldn't have imagined any of this, not the 'USA' across her chest, not the world stage, not the talk of her being the best receiver in the world. She heard Brownson say those words, but all these months later the rookie still doesn't believe it. 'I can't even explain what it felt like to hear because I was so blown away that she would think that of me,' Geraci said. 'It drives me to want to be better every day because I want to meet that standard. I'm still asking questions and learning. I don't want to disappoint anyone and drop to a lower level. 'This happened really quickly. It's still a whirlwind.' This article originally appeared in The Athletic. NFL, Olympics, Global Sports, Women's Olympics 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
3 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
She might be the world's best receiver: Meet Isabella Geraci, U.S. flag football star
The last time they held this tournament, Isabella Geraci wasn't a thing yet. It was just three years ago. She was playing a different sport entirely, her upcoming ascendancy unfathomable. 'I don't know how to explain it,' teammate Madison Fulford said. 'She's kind of a vibe.' Through five seasons of Division I college basketball, Geraci's teams listed her at 5-foot-9, although the game made her feel smaller. Then, almost by accident, she began playing flag football to reclaim her identity. In a flash, Geraci not only made the U.S. national team, putting her on the cusp of becoming an Olympian, but she is also considered one of the greatest wide receivers in the world. Advertisement The USA Football media guide correctly lists her at 5-foot-7. On the field, she is starting to look larger than life. 'When she stands next to you,' said Callie Brownson, 'there's a standing-next-to-giants kind of feel about her.' Brownson is USA Football's senior director of high performance and national team operations. She previously spent four years with the Cleveland Browns as their chief of staff and assistant wide receivers coach. Brownson is among those who declare Geraci, 24, the globe's best receiver (no qualifiers). 'I think about it a lot: How did I get here?' Geraci said last week near her suburban Cleveland home before departing for Chengdu, China, and the World Games, an international event for non-Olympic sports. 'What did I do? I really don't even know. It's a pinch-me moment all the time, where I can't believe I'm in this position.' Geraci is an avatar for flag football's profound growth. Girls and women are gravitating toward the burgeoning opportunities. The International Olympic Committee approved flag football for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, with the NFL heavily involved in promotions and letting its players participate. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) added women's flag football as a scholarship sport, while 17 states (and quickly growing) have sanctioned girls' flag football as a varsity sport. Talent development has been exponential, as evidenced by Team USA's roster turnover. Only two members of the roster that lost in a stunning blowout to Mexico in the 2022 World Games final are back this year: quarterback Vanita Krouch and defensive back Deliah Autry-Jones. 'We don't know what we are going to expect because the game has been growing that fast,' Mexico quarterback Diana Flores said of defending the team's gold medal. 'That's the most exciting part of this for me.' Advertisement Geraci and the flag veteran who practically discovered her — record-setter Fulford — have emerged as an unfair receiving tandem that could dominate these World Games and didn't waste time Thursday, their colossal performances helping the Americans to a 2-0 start in the preliminary round. On USA's second play in the tournament's opening game, Geraci's post pattern blew the top off Canada's defense. Krouch's trademark sidearm delivery found Geraci wide open for a 45-yard touchdown. Vanita Krouch to Geraci is too Izzy !#twg2025 — Int'l Fed of American Football (@IFAFMedia) August 14, 2025 Geraci caught 10 of her 13 targets for 130 yards and three TDs with one extra point in a 39-31 victory. Albeit legally and unintentionally, she also laid out Canada defensive back Rosalie Landry, whose coverage got too tight. Fulford was held in check through the first half but scored the game's other two touchdowns on her only catches in the second half. A few hours later, Fulford was relentless in the USA's 48-34 victory over Austria. She caught 12 of her 13 targets for 156 yards and a touchdown. Fulford added an extra point — snagged on a pass that might've been intended for Geraci, who caught three of her four targets for 24 yards and a touchdown with an extra point. On Friday, the U.S. beat host China 39-12 to finish 3-0 in pool play, with Geraci and Fulford each recording another touchdown. They'll face Italy in the quarterfinals Saturday morning in China (Friday night Eastern time). 'There's really nothing like it,' Geraci said about her passion for flag football. 'I feel like it's my true calling.' There is no hemming or hawing from Brownson when asked what sets Geraci apart. Before taking the USA Football job in January, Brownson marveled at what she saw on video: size, the suction fingers, the ability to beat defenders with pure route running, leaping power, that-ball-is-mine defiance. Advertisement 'It's like a vacuum, the way that her hands work, when the ball approaches, her grip,' Brownson said. 'She can win just off her routes, and that's essential in the five-on-five game, especially on short routes, where you have to win now. 'But a big strength of her game is what she does downfield. She's able to create separation, but when a 50-50 ball goes up in the air, it's Izzy's. It's really special to watch what she can do in contested situations.' To ask a football expert about comparables can be folly, potentially dangerous. Scouts and coaches are hesitant to load expectations on a player, no matter how accurate the resemblance may be. Especially when discussing a rookie. 'Sometimes, when she's stretching the field and makes an unbelievable play,' Brownson said, 'you see shades of Julio Jones, Calvin Johnson, who are the quarterback's dream: 'Hey, I'm in trouble, and I'm just going to put this up.' Izzy's down there somewhere.' A post shared by USA Football (@usafootball) Brownson, though, stressed she doesn't want to pigeonhole her because Geraci is equally extraordinary at short and intermediate routes, too. OK then. 'I buy it,' said Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II, ambassador for NFL Flag's high school girls campaign. Newsome and Geraci recently worked a camp together. 'I've seen some of the catches she's made, and it's unbelievable. There are clips of her making one-handed catches or going on top of two defenders in the back of the end zone, making incredible plays. 'She'll be a huge trailblazer in this movement.' Geraci doesn't sit still for long, but last week she spent a couple of hours reflecting with The Athletic about how fast it's all happened. She barely touched her latte at Emilie's Coffee House & Wine Bar in Avon, Ohio, just down the street from her family's jewelry store, where she also works. She always loved football, playing tackle from age 7 through her freshman year at North Ridgeville High in suburban Cleveland. Her nickname came about because one of her coaches couldn't bring himself to call her 'Isabella' around the boys. 'Izzy' stuck, but she couldn't stick with football. She gave it up because that's what young girls too often are told they must do to maximize their athletic pursuits. Her sports future was too bright, a scholarship too attainable for someone of her prowess, to focus on a sport women didn't play in college. So she played basketball and softball, golfed, ran sprints, long jumped and high jumped — pretty much everything but football. Advertisement The 2018 Lorain County Student-Athlete of the Year accepted a scholarship to play basketball at Cleveland State. And was miserable. 'Basketball was one of those things she was just naturally great at,' her mother, Tammy Geraci, said from behind her work station at Peter & Co. Jewelers. 'But when she went to college, it was a totally different game. She just felt like she was getting kicked down. 'You could see her little flame was getting smaller and smaller.' On a long slog further mucked by COVID, Isabella trudged through her four years at Cleveland State but finished what she started, earning a marketing degree and transferring to South Carolina Upstate for a graduate season. The move brought her some joy. She studied business analytics, led the Spartans in rebounds and steals and took second in the high jump at the Sun Belt Conference outdoor track and field championships. Geraci's college athletic career ended on a pleasant note. Nevertheless, she remained unfulfilled and now stricken by the notion of being done. 'I was just looking for other ways,' Geraci said. 'I thought, 'Something needs to fix me.'' Football never stopped summoning her. Briefly living in Charlotte, Geraci researched women's football leagues of all types. She spotted that Fulford was playing in the area and asked for guidance. 'I thought she was super-electric in the flag-football world,' Geraci said. 'I remember watching her highlights and thinking, 'Dang, I want to be able to do stuff like that.'' Fulford pointed her in the right direction and provided some local contacts who put Geraci in a league. But it wasn't until Fulford saw highlights of the newbie that she realized bigger dreams were possible. There's a national flag football team, Geraci learned. The Olympics. NFL involvement. Television. The big time. Advertisement Fulford invited Geraci to play on her exclusive club team, a break that fast-tracked Geraci's development and elevated her platform. The right people soon noticed. Geraci called it 'serendipity.' Despite this, Fulford refused to acknowledge making any discovery. 'No, no, no, no, no,' Fulford muttered, then punctuating with one last, loud, 'No! That girl is phenomenal. She would've easily found her way on this team without me. I just brought her into certain situations.' Brownson, however, insisted on giving Fulford credit for recognizing a future USA teammate and — when on the road for tournaments — roommate. Three years from now, they could be on the Olympic medal stand together in Los Angeles. 'I appreciate Madison giving us credit that we would have found Izzy, but timing is everything,' Brownson said. 'Who knows what would've happened without Madison getting Izzy into the sport when she did? 'The impact that it's had over the past two years by getting Izzy in the pool, Madison deserves a ton of credit. Little did she know she was bringing in her '2' for that 1-2 punch they give us. It's changed the dynamic of our offense completely.' At the forefront of that overhauled roster, the U.S. could have used them at the World Games three years ago. Back then, Geraci couldn't have imagined any of this, not the 'USA' across her chest, not the world stage, not the talk of her being the best receiver in the world. She heard Brownson say those words, but all these months later the rookie still doesn't believe it. 'I can't even explain what it felt like to hear because I was so blown away that she would think that of me,' Geraci said. 'It drives me to want to be better every day because I want to meet that standard. I'm still asking questions and learning. I don't want to disappoint anyone and drop to a lower level. 'This happened really quickly. It's still a whirlwind.' (Top photo of Isabella Geraci during a game in June in Carson, Calif.: Carlin Steihl / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Canada News.Net
a day ago
- Sport
- Canada News.Net
(SP)CHINA-CHENGDU-THE WORLD GAMES 2025-FLAG FOOTBALL-WOMEN-PRELIMINARY ROUND-USA VS CAN (CN)
(250814) -- CHENGDU, Aug. 14, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Madison Fulford (top L) and Isabella Geraci (top R) of the United States celebrate a touch down during the Flag Football Women's Preliminary Round Group A match between the United States and Canada at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
U.S. flag football players want to end the 'us vs. them' narrative with NFL
U.S. quarterback Darrell Doucette, right, scores a touchdown against Australia during the USA Football Summer Series at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times) Darrell Doucette didn't mean any disrespect. All the U.S. flag football star wanted to do in an interview that went more viral than any of his numerous highlights was to fight for his sport. So when he told TMZ in 2024 that he is 'better than Patrick Mahomes' at flag football for his IQ of the sport, the generally soft-spoken Doucette wasn't trying to issue any challenges. Watch the two-time world champion throw touchdowns, catch them, snap the ball and play defense all in the same game and it's clear he prefers to let his game speak. Advertisement 'It wasn't about me vs. them,' said Doucette, who is known in the flag football world by his nickname 'Housh.' 'It was about flag football, putting eyes on this game.' With preparations ramping up for the 2028 Olympics, flag football just wants its respect. Respect for the sport that is no longer just a child's stepping stone to tackle football. Respect for its established players who have already won every tournament there is and have eyes for more. U.S. wide receiver Isabella "Izzy" Geraci runs with the ball during a game against Australia at the USA Football Summer Series at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times) 'It's not your mom's flag football anymore,' said Callie Brownson, USA Football's senior director of high performance and national team operations. Flag football has graduated out of backyards and into the Olympics, where the sport will debut in L.A. More than 750 athletes from 10 countries from the youth level to senior national teams gathered at Dignity Health Sports Park last weekend to preview the Olympic future at USA Football's Summer Series, where the U.S. men's and women's national teams played friendlies against Canada, Australia, Germany and Japan. Advertisement The sport's growth domestically and internationally came in part through major investment from the NFL, and the league could play a major role in the Olympics: NFL players are allowed to participate in Olympic competition. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was among the NFL stars who immediately took notice as the NFL most valuable player said he would 'absolutely love' to play if given the opportunity. Doucette loved hearing the conversation. The New Orleans native grew up playing the sport when seemingly no one else bothered to care. To hear NFL players taking an interest now? It feels like all he ever wanted. 'We're welcoming those guys,' Doucette said. 'We don't have no issue with it. We just want a fair opportunity. We want those guys to come out and learn because there's things that we're going to need to teach them ... and there's things that they can teach us. They can teach us how to run routes and how to cover and do other different things. So it's not us vs. them or them vs. us. It's us together as one teaching each other.' U.S. wide receiver Ja'Deion High evades an Australian defender during the USA Football "Summer Series" at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times) Olympic flag football is played with five players per side on a 50-by-25-yard field. Teams have four downs to reach midfield and four more to score from inside midfield. The basic tenants of offensive football remain the same from its tackle counterpart: throw, catch, run. Advertisement But players don't juke the same way their tackle counterparts can, wide receiver Ja'Deion High said. When the former Texas Tech receiver was learning the sport, he was stunned when defenders still pulled his flag after what he believed were his best moves. He had to learn flag football's unique hip dips and flips to keep his flags away from defenders. The adjustment on defense could be even more difficult. Defenders cannot hinder an opposing player's forward progress. The NFL's most mundane hand-check would draw a penalty in flag football. 'The athletic ability [of an NFL player], I'm not questioning,' said defensive back Mike Daniels, a former cornerback at West Virginia. 'But the IQ aspect, the speed of the game is completely different.' USA Football, the governing body of U.S. flag football responsible for selecting the national team, has not outlined how NFL players will fit into the tryout process for the 2028 Olympic cycle. But with the Games scheduled for July 14-July 30, the one-week flag competition could overlap with the beginning of NFL training camps. Even preparations to learn the new sport and practice its unique schemes would take valuable offseason time away from NFL players. U.S. wide receiver Laval Davis, left, attempts to catch a pass as an Australian player defends during the USA Football Summer Series on Sunday. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times) Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley was ready to burst into patriotic song at the mention of representing the United States in the Olympics, but when reminded that he might have to miss part of training camp for it, he backed off immediately. He spoke directly into a video camera to assure Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh that the job that pays him $5.4 million on a four-year rookie contract is all he needs. Advertisement USA Football has remained in contact with the NFL about how to integrate professionals, said Brownson, who worked for the Cleveland Browns for five seasons, including three as the assistant wide receivers coach. With the Games still three years away, USA Football is focused on keeping doors open to all prospects and offering educational opportunities for potential players to become familiar with flag football. "The cool thing about our process is when you come out to trials, there is no name on the back of your jersey,' Brownson said. 'You get a number and you have the same opportunity to try out as the person next to you. ... We'll just be excited to have the best team that we could but I always do and will always stand up for who we currently field. 'They're the best flag football players in the world, both men and women, and they deserve their flowers, too." The U.S. men's national team is the five-time defending International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world champions. Since Doucette made his national team debut in 2020, the U.S. men are undefeated in international tournaments with gold medals at two world championships (2021, 2024), the 2022 World Games and the 2023 continental championship. U.S. wide receiver Amber Clark-Robinson scores a touchdown against Australia at the USA Football Summer Series at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday. (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times) Led by quarterback Vanita Krouch, the women's team is 33-1 in the last six years. The U.S. women have won three consecutive IFAF world championships and the 2023 continental title while finishing second at the 2022 World Games. Advertisement Krouch has become an international flag football star after a four-year basketball career at Southern Methodist. Examining talent transfers from other sports has helped strengthen the USA Football athlete pipeline as the organization researches the best qualities for flag football. Baseball and softball players who can whip passes from odd arm angles can thrive in a game that features multiple quarterbacks. The U.S. national teams have former basketball, soccer and track and field stars. The sport values agility and elusiveness. While the NFL's 40-yard dash is the premier test for speed, it may be less valuable in flag football, Brownson said. The perfect flag football player combines that straight-line speed with quickness. Read more: Rams players and coaches like the idea of competing in flag football at L.A. Olympics Advertisement "There's such an art and a craft and a different style of dance that we do,' Krouch said. 'I say tackle football is like hip hop, krump dancing. ... We ballet dance. It's finesse, it's clean, it's creative." The quarterback served as an offensive coordinator in the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl, the first version of the All-Star game to feature a flag football format. Leading the NFC team to victory, Krouch loved sharing flag football's unique route combinations. She noticed how the NFL's best showed their respect for her sport by enthusiastically learning the different nuances. The Pro Bowl experience was one of many surreal moments for Krouch in her nearly two-decade career of playing flag football. From playing in a local league, the 44-year-old has become a multi-time gold medalist. She never thought this sport she sometimes teaches in her elementary physical education classes could become this big. U.S. defensive back Laneah Bryan, left, tries to pull a flag off an Australian player during the USA Football Summer Series on Sunday. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times) The announcement that flag football would officially debut in the 2028 Olympics brought it to even greater heights. No question Krouch wants to play in the Games. Advertisement But the competition at tryouts every year gets 10 times harder, two-time national team member Ashlea Klam said. The 19-year-old plays flag football on a scholarship for NAIA-level Keiser University and recognizes no one is guaranteed a spot each year as the talent pool grows. It will be even more difficult to make the 10-person Olympic roster. As each year's tryouts get more competitive, Doucette sees his hope for the sport coming true. He knows the better prospects are a sign that more people are paying attention to flag football. If in three years at BMO Stadium, the eyes are fixated on another quarterback leading the United States at the Olympics, Doucette will consider that still mission accomplished. "No matter if I'm a part of the team or not, I will still be around the game,' Doucette said. 'That's my goal is still to be there, in general, no matter if I'm playing or watching." Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
