Remember the name Deliah Autry. The athlete that first picked up the pigskin to play flag football at Robinson High School now plays for the USA Women’s National Flag Football Team, which brought home the gold medal during the recent IFAF World Championship. As international excitement is building for the entrance of flag football as an Olympic sport in the 2028 games, Autry hopes to inspire more young athletes to compete.

Eli Taliafero, a board member for NFL Flag Football of Tampa Bay, explained that opportunities for children to play flag football on a competitive level are constantly increasing. A flag football combine was recently held at the Advent Health Training Center to test the speed, agility and other skills of young players.