The incentives
While Australia had high hopes entering the Asia-Oceania Flag Football Championships in their bid to qualify for the World Cup, Stegman sensed their rivals had largely written them off.
It made the triumph all the sweeter.
“The moment itself was pure jubilation,” he said.
Jared Stegman in action for Australia at the Asia-Oceania Flag Football Championships.
“The women’s team was there as well and have been a big factor in our lead-up, so they came onto the field and everyone was getting around each other.
“It was unexpected, from our own expectations and training it was expected, but no one thought in their wildest dreams we’d be gold medallists.”
Stegman has been involved in American football for 18 years.
The 35-year-old has plied his trade around the globe – playing in Australia, Turkey, Sweden, Japan and Germany.
But never had an Olympics tilt crossed his mind.
Loading
“It’s definitely given me a new purpose. I’m a high school head of department for English and playing football for fun, and this has started a new fire,” Stegman said.
“I always wanted to play for the challenge, which is why I went overseas, because American football is not well regarded, funded and overly competitive here, so this new opportunity is amazing.
“The chance is crazy, it’s unbelievable, and we’ve achieved the first step.”
This year, the NFL announced it would release its players to make them available for selection at the LA Games, opening the door for Australian prospects to take on the best of the best on their home turf, such as three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes.
Pathways through the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the US also present study and travel opportunities.
“We’ve had people trying to get into the Australian team because they see this as a shot to go to the Olympics, and particularly to play the US guys in LA,” Kelly said.
“It transcends a lot of sports.”
Rival code raid
Kelly had previously declared Australian stars such as Sydney Rooster-turned-Wallaby Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and rugby sevens weapon Maddison Levi would be tailor-made for flag football.
Now, he said, “you could name 1000”.
Those to make the jump included former Wallabies star Quade Cooper, Essendon Bombers Victorian Football League talent Jacob Atley and St George-Illawarra Dragons under-21s winger Caine Barnes.
Cooper did not feature at the oceania championships, having returned to Japan where he plays for the Kintetsu Liners rugby union side. Kelly said his impact at a training camp in the US was profound.
Quade Cooper is “in the mix” for the flag football World Cup.Credit: Getty
“He was phenomenal. The one thing Quade brings is preparation – the guy is meticulous with his preparation and thought process, and that was really beneficial for our young guys and girls,” Kelly said.
“He’s in the mix for the World Cup next year, but it’s a very hard team to get into on the back of that performance.”
Stegman said the transferable skills with other football codes would make the shift appealing, with Aussie rules athletes in particular blessed with the attributes needed to thrive.
“Their skill set is perfect for flag football, they’re just so trained to catch and trap the ball, and every route you run you’re leading for the ball,” he said.
Transferable skills include line running, catching ability and aerial prowess, while being able to respond to 360-degree opposition pressure.
Growing Australian presence
Since flag football’s inclusion on the Sporting Schools program, Kelly revealed more than 50,000 juniors had come through the ranks across just five terms. In his words, “it’s exploded”.
Loading
When the Philadelphia Eagles conquered Kansas City in this year’s Super Bowl, 2.6 million people in Australia watched.
As Melbourne prepares to host an LA Rams game in 2026 at the MCG, Kelly anticipated the game’s popularity would hit new heights.
“The explosion of NFL fandom over here for the last 10 years has gone nuts, and on the back of that, flag football after getting announced in the Olympics is a much more accessible way to get involved in the sport,” Kelly said.
“It’s got all the makings of a major code. If you look at the top three participation sports in Australia – soccer, netball and touch football are the top three by far.
“They’re non-contact, take an hour, are gender-diverse and gender-neutral completely. Flag football has all of that.”
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.