In the midst of a wild and hectic week in Pittsburgh, girls flag football took center stage Wednesday afternoon.
Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., NFL Draft prospects Ty Simpson and Jordyn Tyson and U.S. women’s national team players Vanita Krouch and Isabella Geraci took part in the NFL Draft Flag Football Training Camp at Ellis School, running a full practice.
Former Pitt football player Chris Curd helped run the event and create the drills. He started the Pittsburgh Flag Football League in 2009.
“Toyota and the NFL reached out a few weeks ago,” Curd said. “They were more or less just looking for a couple of girls to participate in an event. We got to talking, conversations happened, and they said, ‘Hey, do you do this sort of thing?’ I joked with them and said, ‘I’ve done this in three different countries, in three different languages, where kids didn’t understand what I was saying successfully.’ They laughed and said, ‘OK, so you do that.’”
Fast forward to today and 50 girls got to train with NFL athletes and top-tier flag football players, splitting into groups and rotating through drills.
“To have NFL guys and prospects out here is really cool because it shows the game is growing,” said Geraci, a wide receiver for the national team. “It shows how many people are invested in it. It’s not just us as women’s flag football athletes. It’s everybody. It’s brands like Toyota, and guys over here who want to give their time to help grow the sport and teach these girls new things. So it’s really awesome.”
In year one of high school flag football in Western Pennsylvania, there were just six teams, including West Allegheny, Moon, Ambridge, North Allegheny and Shaler. This year, in year four, there are 50 varsity teams and 28 JV teams.
“Right now, we serve roughly about 1,100 kids playing across Western PA in six locations, so flag football is my life, and I’m fortunate enough to be in a situation where a game can impact young athletes,” Curd said
“This is the first event of its kind. With the sponsorship Toyota has with the NFL, they want to continue to contribute, give back and provide opportunities for girls to play,” Curd added. “Now you’ve got qualified coaches out here, small groups of players, and they’re working with draft prospects and current NFL players. It’s a match made in heaven.”
One of those athletes is new Steeler wide receiver Pittman, who played for the Indianapolis Colts since 2020 racking up over 5,000 receiving yards and 25 touchdown receptions.
“I have two daughters, so obviously I’m big for women’s sports, whether it’s any type of sport, but football is something that I’ve done,” he said. “Everything football has given me, I just want them to have that same opportunity that I had growing up.”
Overall, he wants to instill confidence in the girls.
“This right here is what it’s all about,” Pittman said. “Just coming out here and showing these girls that they can seize their moment and everything Toyota’s doing here to support them is great stuff.”
Simpson, a projected first round pick and Alabama quarterback, wants to get into the community with whatever team drafts him. He wants to make an impact during NFL Draft week too.
“Toyota’s a great partner, putting a spotlight on flag football and girls playing flag football at a young age,” Simpson said. “My sister played sports as well, so giving back to the next generation is great.”
Simpson said that he’s loved everything about Pittsburgh and said that he enjoys how the city embraces its team.
“I’m so happy to be here,” Simpson said. “God’s put me in a great position. Being able to give back to the community here in Pittsburgh with Toyota and flag football is great. I’m happy to be here, and I can’t wait to see what happens.”
Tyson, a wide receiver and projected first-round pick from Arizona State, arrived in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.
“I got here last night at like 10 o’clock, so this is my first time getting a real glimpse of Pittsburgh,” Tyson said. “I’m loving it. It’s a great opportunity out here with the girls to advance the sport of flag football.”
Tyson helped the girls with their hands and over-the-shoulder catches during drills. He is happy to see the growth in the sport.
“I think it is really, really cool,” he said. “I’ve never really seen girls play football. I knew it was growing. I had some other people’s sisters back home that were playing a little bit, so I kind of knew of it, but to see how big it’s actually becoming, it’s amazing to see.”
Krouch, a three time IFAF Flag Football world champion, believes Pittsburgh holding the draft helps the entire community.
“Right now we’re specifically at a flag football event for girls, but I just think it’s amazing that they’re trying to back people up, support their dreams and grow the game of football, whether it’s flag or tackle,” Krouch said. “To be here seeing all these girls in the clinic doing drills and learning how to throw and catch, it’s amazing. I’m honored to be here.”
Krouch and Simpson were teaching players how to throw with a proper follow through and getting a crisper spiral. It was an enjoyable time for both.
“You just try to make a connection and create a rapport so they fall in love with the people around the sport,” Krouch added. “I think if you fall in love with people and create memories with people, that translates into, ‘I want to keep playing that game,’ and keep creating new friends with the new sisterhood and stuff like that.”
Krouch was taking selfies, high-fiving and dancing the entire event. Krouch was happy Geraci joined her. It shows the camaraderie that comes with sports.
“She’s like my sister,” Krouch said. “What’s great about flag football is it grows more than just the physical game itself. It creates a family and sisterhood. So to me, I just have my sister here having fun with me.”
Geraci, a wide receiver for the women’s team, enjoyed being on the coaching side of things and seeing the hunger in the players.
“They’re all out here with an openness to learn,” she said. “They just have that grit, that drive, so it’s always cool to see younger girls learn the sport and refine their skills and stuff like that. I’ve never really been a coach, so it’s fun to get to do that. Being out here coaching versus being a receiver is a little different, but it’s awesome and super exciting.”
Curd sees how beneficial the draft is for the city of Pittsburgh.
“It is fantastic. Having the NFL Draft here is going to be not only a big economic boost for the city and Western PA, but I think it’s going to be a boost for the insight into what football is,” Curd said. “It’s going to show the world how football means so much to Western Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh in particular, and how now under that umbrella of football is flag football. It’s grown, and it’s not going to slow down.”