By Dominic Scianna

Diana Flores grew up in Mexico and dreamed as an eight-year-old to one day be able to compete in football against other girls like her. Eighteen years later, she is the face of
Mexico’s women’s national flag football team and NFL Flag internationally and in the U.S.

Flores, 26, a legendary female flag football quarterback for her country, and defending gold medal winner for her team in the 2022 World Games, spent this past weekend in Chicago as the distinguished ambassador for NFL Flag. She was a guest speaker at the Third Annual High School Flag Football Jamboree at Englewood STEM High School on Saturday, Aug. 19, and special guest of the Chicago Bears at a dinner at Halas Hall in Lake Forest on Friday, Aug. 18, attended by select flag football high school team members throughout the state.

The Jamboree is hosted by the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Public League and originated in 2021. The list of heavyweight sponsors and supporters for this effort includes NIKE, Gatorade, Visa, Buffalo Wild Wings, USA Football, and NFL Flag – proving the commitment to the community and youth flag football in Illinois is growing rapidly each and every year.

This year, the Jamboree attracted 42 girls flag football teams made up primarily of Chicago Public League (CPL) and neighboring Illinois suburban schools. The day was filled with top-flight competition, instruction, and motivational encouragement – but the undisputed star attraction was Flores. She captivated her teenage audience by signing autographs, posing for pictures, and engaging everyone she met with her outgoing personality, positive outlook, and appreciation of what flag football has meant to her.

“I never imagined that the sport could be as big as it is right now. Flag Football brings inspiration and motivation to all these girls and allows them to be their best selves. It gives them self-confidence and helps them to dream bigger than ever,” Flores said. “I never imagined it possible for a girl like me to play flag football in Mexico – when the world was telling me it was not for me. The power of sports and the impact of women have made it possible to break cultural barriers, gender barriers, and to bring those of us who love the sport together in a powerful way.”

“I grew up watching NFL players – they were my role model, and now for me to be someone that is a role model and inspiration for these girls is a blessing and an honor,” continued Flores. “Representation matters and being seen matters. It makes a big difference and I’m so excited for these players and what the future holds them in our sport.”

The smiling faces, intense competitiveness of the games, girls meeting other girls from different teams both on the field at the Jamboree, and at the Friday night dinner held by the Bears, made it a special two days of flag football festivities some won’t soon forget.

Jennifer Banderas, a senior at Solorio High School, was one of the guests at the Halas Hall dinner and felt the weekend was a special experience to enjoy with her team.

“Our team bonding and the variety of girls from different cultures makes our team unique,” Banderas said. “We enjoyed talking with her (Flores) especially her Latina background and that connection she made with us.”

Two other CPS teams, Kelly High School and Lane Tech College Prep, also participated in the dinner festivities and had moments with Flores that were unforgettable.

“I got to take a picture with her (Flores) which was a really big deal and also got a photo of her signed,” Lane Tech junior Jocelyn Hale said. “I asked her about how football shaped her and how she got to be who she is today. I learned a lot about her and felt really educated on why she wanted to play the sport and be a global representative.”

Gus Silva, Manager of Youth Football and Community Programs for the Chicago Bears, feels the concept he had envisioned and timeline for girls flag football is right where he thought it would be – and now it’s a matter of fine-tuning things to get to the ultimate goal.

“This is the vision we had in year one with the great partnership between the Bears and CPL. We expected this and it’s a pleasure having Diana, one of the best global flag football stars in history and Craig Anderson here from the Illinois High School Association, who has guided us in the process, both seeing what we’ve built and the endless possibilities we have for the future,” said Silva.

“Everything that we try to do with the Bears is very intentional. It’s all about accessibility, inclusion, and equity. And having Diana here is powerful because so many of our girls (who play the sport in the city) have a similar culture and a similar background as Diana,” acknowledged Silva. “Chicago has one of the biggest Mexican populations with millions of Latinos in the area, and we also had Amber Clark, a Team USA Flag football member, just this past week to Halas Hall, who is a woman of color. So, it’s important for our girls to see a woman who look like them and come from where they come from to make that connection.”

The sport has drawn widespread attention in the city and across the state, so much so that the IHSA governing body is considering a possible sanctioning of girl’s flag football in the state in the future.

“Girls Flag (Football) starting just three years ago has over 100 of our members high schools competing. That kind of growth is incredible so we’re recognizing that,” said Anderson, Executive Director of the IHSA. “I’m here today to see it for myself – plus the Chicago Bears, NIKE, USA Football, NFL Flag and all of the participating sponsors shows the impact it’s having here in our state.”

The IHSA board will have to officially approve and sanction the sport in order for it to be represented as a state series, so there’s a lot of work to be done, but things are beginning to fall into place and the dream is getting closer to becoming a reality.

“We have a policy that a sport (to be governed for IHSA state competition) must have 10% of our competing members. Currently we have 814 IHSA members – which would make 80 teams the minimum,” noted Anderson. “I think the timeline, the number of teams currently competing (100+), and the ability for the sport to continue to grow (with popularity broadening to include Downstate teams in the near future) makes girl’s flag football a strong possibility for us to consider for approval next year.”

The Jamboree also has extended its reach to schools like Willowbrook (last year’s Chicago Bears State Series Champions), Oak Park-River Forest and a host of other Western and Northern Suburban schools. This year’s flag football season postseason in Illinois will once again feature league playoffs and a Chicago Bears State Series at Halas Hall featuring the top two CPL teams and the top two suburban teams.

“Diana Flores has been my inspiration to me, and I just started playing flag football this past year,” said Madison Krillies, a former Willowbrook player, now a transfer at Addison Trail this season. “We even had a Super Bowl watch party to view the commercial she was in. She’s just so admirable in all that she does.”

The coaches and parents have had a unique experience with CPL girls flag football especially as it relates to their observances the past few seasons. And it’s all been positive and a joy to be a part of.

“This is my first year as coach. This Jamboree has been so exciting, and the team is having so much fun,” said Elisabeth Hirsch, girls flag football coach at Lindblom High School. “I was so surprised how many teams were here and how big (physically) they were. I coached 7th and 8th grade flag teams and there were a limited number of players but now seeing full varsity and sophomore teams is awesome.”

Jazimen Montgomery, a parent of Lindblom High School junior Milan Malone is excited too, in that her daughter may have an opportunity to play the sport she loves in college. And that motivation has led to both her and her daughter researching the possibilities upon graduation from high school.

“I was really scared for my daughter to play because I thought it would be dangerous, but the coaches have really done a great job – and participating really just gave her a boost of her self-esteem,” Montgomery said. “I wish this would have been around when I was growing up. We’ve researched colleges now that my daughter’s a junior, knowing that there could be a possibility for her to get a scholarship playing flag football.”

Finally, the Bears season is underway, and although the games don’t count in the standing just yet, some CPL girls flag football representatives got to experience the ultimate thrill with one of the top players in Chicago leading them onto the field recently during a Bears game.

“We got to run out (of the tunnel) for the start of the Bears (preseason) game with Justin Fields (Bears QB),” said a giggling Yahaira Hernandez, senior at Solorio High School. “And after that, we got to play at halftime on Soldier Field. When we looked up from the field, the stadium looked so huge. It was amazing.”

Through all the highs and lows that CPL girls flag football has experienced in its infancy and now three years later riding a wave of success – the future is bright and the sky’s the limit for this trailblazing sport in Illinois.

“It’s really outside of the game that’s so important too,” said Juliana Zavala, CPS Senior Manager of sports programs. “The girls are meeting new people, making new friends, and it gets them involved. That’s why we (CPL) promote and advocate for sports tailored to them. I think of these girls as pioneers and they’re making their own story out of this experience now, and for future generations.”