By Coach Daniel | Triple Threat Sportscast

Girls flag football is growing fast, and people around the football world are starting to pay attention.

What once looked like an emerging sport is now becoming a real opportunity for young female athletes across the country. More schools are adding programs. More athletes are getting involved. More communities are buying in. And now, support is coming from respected football voices at the college level.

Triple Threat Sportscast recently caught up with UAB head football coach Alex Mortensen, who shared his thoughts on the future of girls flag football and the opportunities the sport is creating.

Mortensen’s journey in football runs deep. The son of legendary NFL reporter Chris Mortensen, Alex grew up around the game and later built his own path as a player and coach. After playing quarterback at the college level, he moved into coaching and continued to develop his resume through years of work inside the sport.

That journey eventually led him to UAB, where he joined the Blazers’ staff as offensive coordinator before being named head coach of the program.

For Mortensen, football has always been more than just a game. It is about development, leadership, discipline, and opportunity. That is why the growth of girls flag football matters.

The sport is giving young female athletes a chance to compete in a game that continues to expand at every level. High school participation is rising, college programs are growing, and more athletes are beginning to see flag football as a legitimate pathway beyond high school.

That matters because opportunities like this did not always exist.

For years, many young female athletes who loved football had limited options when it came to continuing in the sport. Now, flag football is helping change that conversation. It is creating a lane for athletes to keep competing, earn an education, and be part of one of the fastest-growing sports in the country.

That growth is especially important throughout Alabama, Tennessee, and the Southeast.

Across the region, flag football is gaining momentum. More schools are taking the sport seriously. More athletes are training for it. More coaches are studying it. And more families are realizing that this is not just a recreational activity anymore.

It is becoming a real part of the sports landscape.

Hearing support from established football leaders like Mortensen only adds to that momentum. When coaches at the college level recognize the value of the sport, it helps validate what players, families, and flag football supporters already know.

Girls flag football is no longer just arriving.

It is here.

The next step is making sure athletes are ready for the opportunities coming their way. That means learning the game, building football IQ, developing speed and skill, understanding route concepts, improving communication, and competing with the seriousness of a college-level athlete.

The players who prepare now will have a chance to separate themselves as the sport continues to grow.

Mortensen’s message fits the larger direction of girls flag football across the country. The future is bright because the sport is creating something bigger than competition. It is creating access. It is creating visibility. It is creating opportunity.

And for young female athletes who want to keep playing football, that opportunity is only getting stronger.

As more schools, conferences, and colleges invest in flag football, the pathway will continue to expand. The sport is moving quickly, and the athletes who take advantage of this moment could become part of something special.

Girls flag football is not a trend.

It is a movement.

And with more leaders in the football world recognizing its growth, the future looks brighter than ever.

Catch the full interview and Coach Alex Mortensen’s thoughts on the future of girls flag football now on the Triple Threat Sportscast YouTube channel.

© 2026 Triple Threat Sportscast. All Rights Reserved.