Diana Flores, quarterback for Mexico’s national women’s flag football team and two-time World Games gold medalist, addressed nearly 60 high school girls at the Atlanta Falcons’ facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia. The occasion was the GACA All-Star Games presented by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, which concluded a week celebrating the growth of girls flag football in the state.
Flores recounted her experiences growing up in Mexico City, describing how she and her teammates used to clean debris from their practice field before playing. “It’s the journey that shapes you,” Flores said. “It’s the journey that really sticks with you.” She reflected on how much progress has been made since then: “I almost can’t believe where we are today when looking back and seeing where we came from,” she said. “Nobody talked about the sport. Nobody knew what it was. Nobody believed in the game. And now, thanks to organizations like (the Falcons), people who believed in maybe what even we couldn’t see or imagine years ago, it’s now a reality. It’s going beyond what we could have ever dreamed.”
The expansion of girls flag football in Georgia has been significant since 2017, with over 300 high schools now offering teams and more than 11,000 participants statewide. This growth is attributed to support from Arthur M. Blank, owner of the Atlanta Falcons—an NFL team based in Atlanta, Georgia that began as an expansion franchise in 1965 and competes in the NFC South division according to their official website. Efforts by other NFL teams and broader league initiatives have also played a role.
In recent years, NCAA programs offering women’s flag football have increased from around 40 schools to an expected 60 this spring as interest continues to rise ahead of flag football’s Olympic debut at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
Flores emphasized that this momentum did not happen overnight but was built through grassroots work: “It wouldn’t have happened at all if it wasn’t for programs like this existing,” she told attendees. She noted that data and organized efforts were key factors convincing decision-makers about flag football’s future.
“Girls,” Flores said smiling to the room, “the opportunity you have right now not only to inspire, not only to live your passion but to lead the future generations and re-shape what it means to be a girl in flag, what it means to have big dreams and not only dare to dream big but to act and make a difference and be loud, it’s huge.
“… I guarantee you that every decision you make, every step you take is not only for you. It is creating an impact in girls you don’t even know yet, in people you may not ever meet in person. Everything we do creates this path that goes beyond just us.”
At Saturday’s event coaches led four teams—Red (Catherine Lambert/Arren Swift), White (Jared Hughes/Chris Grier), Silver (Brandon Marsh/David Flanders), Black (Sean Gilbert/Nick Grassi). Awards went to Page Stewart of Calvary Day as Player of the Game for Red Team vs Black Team; Catherine Cooper of North Oconee earned Player of the Game honors for Silver Team vs White Team.
The Atlanta Falcons have reached two Super Bowls—in 1998 and again in 2016—and feature Freddie the Falcon as their mascot (source).
