Women's flag football explodes in US as 2028 Olympics beckon

"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. Colt said it had been "a struggle" early on to gain recognition and find backing. "We fought for everything," he said.