Olympic flag football team trials Charlotte
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s one of the fastest-growing sports and will soon be part of the Olympics, then the United States squad trains right here in Charlotte.
On Friday, 60 men and 60 women vied for spots on USA Football’s Flag National Teams, as the organization held trials at UNC Charlotte.
The athletic testing and practice sessions run through the weekend on campus.
Only 18 men and 18 women will advance from Trials to Training Camp, and then just 12 will make each national team roster.
The men and women each won gold at UNCC, which hosted the Continental Championships this summer. Next up will be the IFAF World Championship in Finland this August.
And in 2028, flag football will join the Olympics in Los Angeles.
“It’s been amazing,” assistant coach Mary Kate Bula, a Charlotte resident and former player, said. “I get chills get thinking about where it’s come from when I first tried out for the U.S. team. Twenty-four people were invited, and now it’s 60. And now we’re heading to the Olympics in 2028.”
One hopeful for the women’s team is Haley Van Voorhis. In 2023 she became the first female non-kicker to play in an NCAA football game when she suited up for Shenandoah University in Virginia, playing safety.
“It was big, less for me, but the impact it has on the football community and inspiring female football players,” Van Voorhis said. “The drive for the 2028 Olympics, makes you want to get better. You want to represent your country. We’re here today because we want to bring home the gold.”
According to a 2022 study done by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), about 7.1 million people in the United States played flag football, including 2.5 million people who “routinely engaged in the sport.”
Read More: Olympic flag football team trials Charlotte 2024-03-02 02:43:00