Flag football, a non-contact version of American football, is spreading like wildfire among US girls drawn by the prospect of its inclusion in the 2028 Olympics, its popularity even sparking plans for a professional league.
"It's the youth version of pickleball, the fastest growing adult sport," says Michael Colt, comparing flag football to the racquet sport that's all the rage among the over-30s. "It's crazy."
Colt, 44, coaches the Staten Island Giants, last year's under-18 US champions.
Since he co-founded the club in 2019, its youth teams have earned a host of national titles and sent several players to the national team.