U.S. FLAG FOOTBALL NATIONAL TEAM QUARTERBACK VANITA KROUCH VOTED FINALIST FOR THE WORLD GAMES ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

USA Football’s U.S. Women’s National Team quarterback qualifies for ten-athlete final 

DALLAS, TEXAS – Carrollton resident Vanita Krouch is a finalist for The World Games Athlete of the Year 2024. Krouch is the quarterback of USA Football’s U.S. Women’s Flag Football National Team. She led the U.S. National Team to a gold medal at the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Flag Football World Championship in Lahti, Finland this past August.  

Krouch is the most decorated woman in U.S. National Team history. She’s 33-1 in her international career, including world championship victories in 2018, 2021 and 2024 and a gold medal finish in the first-ever IFAF Americas Continental Flag Football Championship in 2023. Krouch won a silver medal when flag football debuted as a World Games sport in Birmingham, Ala. in 2022.  

Krouch advanced to the final ten nominees for The World Games Athlete of the Year out of an initial pool of 22 athletes. You can support Krouch’s candidacy by voting for her once per day here. Voting ends on Jan. 31 at 12:00 GMT. The award race is competitive. Don’t miss out on your chance to support a world champion! 

The women’s team went 8-0 in Lahti across four days of competition that featured 23 women’s national teams in the largest-ever event held by IFAF. Images of Krouch from the 2024 IFAF Flag Football World Championship are available here, courtesy of Lester Barnes/USA Football. 

“It’s ‘we, not me.’ I couldn’t do this without my girls, our coaches and this organization. To be here and get a three-peat feels amazing,” Krouch said in a post-game interview after defeating Mexico 31-18 in the 2024 world championship gold medal game. “We are still preparing for tomorrow, but we are going to enjoy today and celebrate. Today’s business trip is done, and we will worry about the next project after this.” 

Originally from Cambodia, Krouch’s family migrated first to the Philippines and then to the United States when she was two months old, escaping from the deadly Khmer Rouge regime. Krouch’s mother, Phonnary, was critical to keeping her family together in a time of tremendous difficulty.  

“In a nutshell, my mom is an amazing woman,” Krouch told NBCSports.com in 2023. “On the journey, she had a lot of trials, tribulations … after our dad left us, it was just mom and four kids in this little one-bedroom apartment. So, it was a challenge. I’m just so amazed by her strength and will to never give up.” 

Thanks to her mother’s support and her own efforts, Krouch earned a scholarship to play at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas. She played four seasons (2000-03), winning a Western Athletic Conference Championship and making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament as a freshman. 

Krouch has been a physical education teacher for 20 years and is currently teaching at La Villita Elementary in Irving, Texas. 

USA Football, the sport’s governing body and a recognized sports organization of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), selects and leads the U.S. National Teams in world class competition, including international events like IFAF World Championships, the World Games and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. 

About USA Football: USA Football is the governing body of American Football in the United States. As a Recognized Sports Organization of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the sole U.S. member of the International Federation of American Football, USA Football selects, trains and leads the U.S. National Teams in tackle and flag football disciplines, while delivering world-class football development resources, sport standards and competitive opportunities to empower athletes at every level. USA Football is committed to ensuring every athlete has access to develop and compete in the game through safer, inclusive and innovative pathways.