Young Athletes Like Sophie Guitron Fuel Flag Football’s Appeal to All Genders

The Redondo Beach native was just 10 years old when she ended up in the hospital due to uncontrollable high fevers and body rashes. The doctors delivered her diagnosis: Sophie had juvenile idiopathic arthritis as well as a rare congenital heart disease that required open-heart surgery.

The intense surgery and long recovery ruled out strenuous activity for quite a while. Determined to make a comeback, Sophie turned her sights from soccer, which she played previously, to flag football—a limited-contact sport that blends aspects of rugby and soccer. Players advance a ball down the field to score, and the defense tries to stop its opponent by removing a belt of three flags hung around the player’s waist, rather than engaging in full contact.

“She found her voice, lifted others up and led with confidence.”

The sport originated as a pastime for American soldiers during World War II. Traditionally it was considered a recreational activity, but in recent years flag football has become a competitive sport throughout the U.S. and around the world. Its appeal is understandable, as it is widely inclusive and emphasizes safety and strategy over contact.

While Sophie focused on recovering her strength and stamina post-surgery, she learned the rules of the game and developed a passion for the sport. Eventually she joined a coed recreational team as its only girl member, scoring the winning touchdown at a championship game and being named MVP of the tournament.

Sophie was hooked on flag football. And so are many other young people. According to the International Federation of American Football, 2.4 million youth under age 17 now play flag football in the U.S. each year. The California Interscholastic Federation sanctioned it as a high school sport for the 2023–2024 school year—a decision that led to around 10,000 girls joining teams statewide in the sport’s first year. The NFL lent its support, with the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers starting pilot high school leagues for girls in Southern California during that initial year.

“I fell in love with the sport playing in a coed league,” says Sophie, who helped start the Costa Girls flag football team at Mira Costa High School. “I wanted to create something that would last generations for anyone interested in the sport. [Starting that team] was about giving girls the opportunity to play a sport that we share a passion for.”

In their second year, the Costa Girls team secured the #1 spot as the 2024 Bay League champions. Excelling as a wide receiver (she also took the field as a quarterback and safety), Sophie earned Division 2 All-CIF honors.

“Sophie was always a great player on the field—her talent was undeniable,” says Costa Girls varsity head coach Colin Kaiser. “But what made last season special was how she grew in her leadership role on the team. She found her voice, lifted others up and led with confidence.”

In other competitions, Sophie represented the U.S. on the 2024 USA Girls Flag Football National team (17U) and was the only L.A. athlete playing on the U.S. team in the Junior International Flag Football Cup, winning the gold medal against teams from Canada, Japan, Panama and Mexico. She also won the NFL Latino Youth Honors award after a nomination by the L.A. Rams, which included a $25,000 grant for her college education.

Sophie committed to playing flag football at Keiser University in West Palm Beach, Florida. “That scholarship to Keiser University isn’t just for her skills—it’s for her leadership as well,” beams Coach Colin.

“I’m already loving Keiser and can’t wait to see what the future holds for me at this university. Right off the bat, I could tell how much this sport means to the coaches, captains and the team in general,” says Sophie, who is studying sports management with dreams of pursuing a career in sports.

Women’s collegiate flag football has continued to grow in popularity since the first National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) teams began competing in 2020, with many schools now offering flag football programs. ESPN recently reported that 14 states have sanctioned girls flag football as a high school varsity sport. Several South Bay high schools offer both girls and boys flag football teams, and various Southern California organizations manage leagues for kids as young as age 5.

NFL Flag, which has an active SoCal program, has more than 750,000 participants nationally and has evolved into a pathway for female athletes to progress to college play. This year the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics has recommended that Divisions I, II and III sponsor legislation to add flag football to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program. At least 65 NCAA schools are sponsoring women’s flag football at the club or varsity levels this year, with more slated to join in 2026. The NAIA has approved women’s flag football as an invitational sport for the 2025–2026 season, with 35 programs planning to compete.

“As one of the fastest growing sports globally, flag football has incredible momentum, and LA28 will spotlight the sport at the highest level and on the world’s biggest stage.”

And in an exciting global milestone, flag football is making a historic debut in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This decision by the International Olympic Committee is an acknowledgment of the sport’s amazing growth and appeal. It will certainly lead to new levels of youth sports development and scholarship opportunities.

“As one of the fastest growing sports globally, flag football has incredible momentum, and LA28 will spotlight the sport at the highest level and on the world’s biggest stage,” says Peter O’Reilly, the NFL’s executive vice president of business, international and league events.

Sophie has her eyes on LA28, and the world of flag football has its eyes on Sophie. Although she still actively monitors her health, she has come a long way since her heart surgery. She believes that her experiences have made her stronger—a tenacity that will continue to open doors as she pursues her academic and athletic dreams.