Isabella Perez is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Hamilton High School for AZPreps365.com.

CHANDLER – Hamilton sophomore quarterback Athena Vasquez has already earned statewide recognition for her abilities on the flag football field, however, earning recognition as a young athlete does not always mean the path to playing at the collegiate level is easy.

As the sport continues to grow, athletes like Vasquez are working to gain exposure and understand what it takes to get recruited. Playing at the next level remains a goal as she continues to develop her game and build her reputation.

While Vasquez continues to build her reputation on the field, the recruiting process presents a different challenge for young female athletes.

“I’ve reached out to coaches by uploading my film and my grades, and just little things to show colleges that I'm ready for the next level, and to show that I'm able to compete at the next level,” Vasquez said.

Vasquez's being named an Arizona Cardinals Flag Football High School All-Star is one example of the work she has put into the sport. Through her short time spent at Hamilton, she has continued to develop, learning how to lead her offense and compete against some of Arizona's top high school programs such as Basha and Mountain View.

Hamilton head coach Matt Stone has seen how the growth of girls flag football has affected the opportunities available to players looking to continue their careers after high school.

“They're not doing what every other sport would do, which is usually to initiate contact with the high school coach,” Stone said. “It's just frustrating to me because I love to have those conversations and talk about the student-athlete.”

Without that direct communication, athletes may have to take more responsibility for getting their names in front of college programs and finding opportunities to continue playing after high school.

“It’s harder for girl athletes because since it's still a growing sport,” Vasquez said. “It's like we have to work 10 times harder and to prove that girls can play at the highest level the boys can.”

The Arizona Interscholastic Association officially sanctioned girls flag football in December 2022, with its first official high school season in fall 2023. Since then, the sport has continued to create opportunities for female athletes across the state, reaching approximately 135 to 140 participating high schools across four conferences from 3A through 6A.

Hamilton's team culture also plays a role in helping players develop and succeed. Senior captain Ricci Quinonez said she's noticed how determined Vasquez is to compete at the next level.

“One moment I saw how determined she was to play flag football in college was when I saw how much time she spent watching film,” Quinonez said. “She is always finding ways to improve her game and her teammates in more ways than directly on the field.

“She builds her and others' knowledge, so they can be prepared for adversity ahead.”