U.S. GIRLS 15U & 17U FLAG FOOTBALL NATIONAL TEAMS TO COMPETE IN TAMPA, FLA., AT FLAG FOOTBALL LIFE CHAMPIONSHIP
INDIANAPOLIS – The 2022 U.S. Girls 15U and 17U Flag Football National Teams, fielded by USA Football, will compete in friendlies this Friday, Jan. 14, in Tampa, Fla., against Select Teams built by Flag Football Life, a preferred athlete scouting partner of USA Football. Friday’s games will kick off this weekend’s 2021 Flag Football Life Championship, hosted by the Tournament Sportsplex of Tampa Bay.
The 15U teams will square-off at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by the 17Us at 7:30 p.m. ET. Fans can catch live streams of both games through Flag Football Life’s Facebook page. U.S. Girls Flag National Team rosters are listed further below and mark the first time that girls flag is part of the U.S. National Team program.
The elite competition in Tampa will further prepare the U.S. Girls Flag National Teams to face the world’s top girls national teams in their age group this June at a global flag football series hosted by USA Football. Location and other details of this summer’s international flag event will be announced this spring.
Friday’s games will be played in a 5 vs. 5 format under International Federation of American Football (IFAF) rules. IFAF, an International Olympic Committee provisional member, is comprised of more than 70 American Football-playing member nations spanning six continents, nearly doubling its family of countries (40) in the past 15 years. USA Football is the sport’s national governing body and a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
“We won't have many opportunities to practice and play together so this exhibition will be huge” said 15U head coach ELLIOTT GILES. “This will also be the first time that these girls have played together as well, so the team bonding and comradery is just as important.”
U.S. Girls 17U Head Coach LIZ SOWERS feels the same way. “The thing that I have learned the most from both being a player at the top level, and a coach, is that you can have the best athletes on the field, but at the end of the day if you haven't actually played together, it's a true battle,” she said. Sowers, a three-time U.S. Women’s National Team gold medalist athlete, also is the head coach of the NAIA National Champion Ottawa (Kan.) University women’s flag team.
Flag Football Life, a leader in youth flag football tournament play, has hosted top national events within the sport for more than 10 years.
“Girls flag football is exploding nationwide,” said Flag Football Life Owner MIKE REIMEL. Reimel has led youth flag tournaments for more than 10 years, giving him a front-row seat to girls flocking to football. “More high schools are picking it up, more events are being created, colleges are giving scholarships out – it’s an exciting time.”
“We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with Flag Football Life, not only in providing an opportunity for our girls flag national teams to compete, but to showcase the exceptional quality of competition this game can provide” said ERIC MAYES, USA Football’s Managing Director of High Performance and National Teams. “As flag football aspires to greater heights, opportunities like this lay a foundation built to last.”
2022 U.S. Girls 15U Flag National Team roster:
Name; Position; High School; Grade; Hometown
Adeline Chilek; WR/DB; Vandegrift; 10; Austin, Texas
Emma Clark; WR/DB; Vandegrift; 10; Austin, Texas
Sarah Colchamiro; DL (Rusher)/WR; Susan E. Wagner; 9; Staten Island, N.Y.
Maci Joncich; WR/DB; Coronado; 10; Henderson, Nev.
Madison Mayas; WR/DB; Lois Nicotra Charter; 8; Staten Island, N.Y.
Trystin Mitchell; DL (Rusher)/WR; Liberty; 9; Henderson, Nev.
Raizel Obrero; QB/RB; Salem Academy; 10; Salem, Mass.
Olivia Rijo; WR/LB; Susan E. Wagner; 10; Staten Island, N.Y.
Mary Nell Thompson; WR/DB; Leander; 10; Cedar Park, Texas
Quinn Trudeau; DB/WR; Henry Middle; 9; Cedar Park, Texas
Kiona Westerlund; WR/RB; Liberty; 9; Henderson, Nev.
Jordyn Woodward; LB/DB; McNeil; 10; Round Rock, Texas
Alternates for the 2022 U.S. Girls 15U Flag National Team:
Name; Position; High School; Grade; Hometown
Isabella Castro; WR/LB; 72 Junior High; 8; Staten Island, N.Y.
Paula Nicole Cruz; WR/DB; Colegio de las Americas; 9; El Centro, Calif.
Lily Mayo; WR/DB; Foothill; 10; Staten Island, N.Y.
Krista Quinn; WR/LB; Lansdale Catholic; 10; Staten Island, N.Y.
Kristin Sarnicola; QB/DB; St. Joseph by the Sea; 10; Salem, Mass.
Coaches:
Head Coach: Elliott Giles, Youngstown (Ohio) Youth Flag Football Association
Assistant Coach: Amanda Lara, South Florida Elite Flag Football (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
2022 U.S. Girls 17U Flag National Team roster:
Name; Position; High School; Grade; Hometown
Jenna Burgos; QB; Tottenville; 12; Staten Island, N.Y.
Lauren Clark; DL (Rusher); Vandegrift; 12; Austin, Texas
Lia Cruz; WR; Vincent Memorial Catholic; 11; El Centro, Calif.
Allison Gandlin; WR; Staten Island Technical; 11; Staten Island, N.Y.
Ashlea Klam; WR; Vandegrift; 11; Austin, Texas
Jade Mazziotta; WR; Moore Catholic; 11; Staten Island, N.Y.
Brenna Ramirez; WR; Gilbert High; 12; Gilbert, Ariz.
Victoria Rosas; WR; Tottenville; 10; Staten Island, N.Y.
Marley Spielberg; WR; Basic Academy; 11; Henderson, Nev.
Adelaide Videon-Perino; DL (Rusher); Point Pleasant Boro; 10; Point Pleasant, N.J.
Sarah Villarreal; WR; Vincent Memorial Catholic; 11; El Centro, Calif.
Ava Wallace; QB; Vista Ridge; 9; Austin, Texas
Alternates for the 2022 U.S. Girls 17U Flag National Team:
Name; Position; High School; Grade; Hometown
Julia Arnone; DB/WR; St. Joseph by the Sea; 11; Staten Island, N.Y.
Rylen Bourget; QB/DB; Salpointe Catholic; 11; Tucson, Ariz.
Trinity Hutchins; LB/DB; McNeil; 11; Austin, Texas
Hannah Jayes; DB/WR; Hendrickson; 11; Pflugerville, Texas
Teliyah-Judith McInnis; WR/DB; Bishop Gorman; 11; Las Vegas, Nev.
Devyn Silvestri; QB/DB; Joe E. Newsome; 12; Valrico, Fla.
Coaches:
Head Coach: Liz Sowers, Ottawa (Kan.) University
Assistant Coach: Jason Klam, Texas Fury Girls Flag Football Club (Austin, Texas)
About USA Football: USA Football designs and delivers premier educational, developmental and competitive programs to advance and grow the sport. As the sport’s national governing body, member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and organizer of the U.S. National Team for international competition, USA Football partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy and athletics to support positive football experiences for youth, high school and other amateur players.