TAMPA, Fla. — It takes something special to get this many teenagers up extra early.

Flag football is special at Steinbrenner High School — you can tell by the number of players who are running around the field way before the sun rises and the first school bell rings.

What You Need To Know

  • Flag football is one of the fastest growing sports in the nation. According to USA Football, participation numbers have increased by nearly 200 percent in the past decade

  •  The sport will only continue to grow with the help of it's inclusion in the 2028 Olympics

  • Stienbrenner High School senior Berkley Demetter is one many players who will benefit from the increased opportunities the sport provides

Berkley Demetter and her Steinbrenner teammates set a tone for their day on this football field.

“We just always make sure to have a good vibe and we just try to bring everybody up,” she said.

Demetter splits her athletic time between the Warriors' flag and softball teams. But she gets something from the football field that she does not get from the softball diamond.

“Being on the field with everyone and interacting with everyone really brings out the team player in me in a way,” she said.

Flag football’s taken Demetter places, and as the sport continues to grow, those places expand too.

Not too long ago, flag football players seasons would end in high school. Now these girls have opportunities to play at the collegiate level, and soon, the Olympics. According to USA Football, in the past decade, flag football participation numbers have increased by nearly 200%.

“Everybody builds each other up and it’s so fun,” Demetter said. “And it will really help you with life and help you work with others.”

And it can lead to rubbing elbows with the pros. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been at the forefront of the support for flag football. They recently hosted their sixth annual preseason classic, the largest flag football tournament in the nation. Part of the tournament weekend included a trip to Raymond James Stadium where more than 1,500 players packed the west club to listen to a panel discussion about the future of their sport.

“It’s pretty awesome to see how Florida’s been doing it, and whatever their playbook is, we need and the country needs it to keep growing high school sports for the girls,” said U.S. Women’s Flag National Team quarterback Vanita Krouch.

Girls like Demetter realize they are a part of something big. And part of a sport that is getting bigger and better.

“I’ll have some family friends saying their girls are going to play flag football and it’s so fun,” Demetter said. “And I’m so excited for it and the future for it.”