EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Girls’ flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports across the country and it is no different in El Paso. 38 local high schools and over 1,000 girls are competing in year two of Region 19 flag football with the sport experiencing a surge in popularity.
“There were some schools in Socorro that had over 100 girls try out for 25 spots,” Richard Corona, the managing partner of Zebra Sports, said.
The sport has evolved in its second year, as the girls have become more comfortable on the field and with flag football concepts.
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“From week one last year to week three this year, we have seen the girls’ talent totally increase,” Corona said. “They are calling out the plays. Some teams are filming the games and breaking down the film for the girls.”
The Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys are funding flag football in Texas, including in El Paso, and backing the push to make it a UIL-sanctioned sport.
“The UIL typically takes seven to 10 years,” Corona said. “We have the NFL backing us. What we need now are the parents. We need the parents to go to the administrators and say, ‘we want this for our kids.'”
The season will run through April and May up to the city championships, which will be held from May 18-20 at the Sac. One team will earn the opportunity to represent the Cowboys, and another will represent the Texans at the state championships at North Texas.
As of April 29th, Eastwood at 6-0 leads the way on the Texans Bracket and Harmony a 6-0 leads the Cowboys Bracket.
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