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Veteran USA Football Quarterback, Krouch Is the Most Decorated Female Flag Football Player Ever.
ORLANDO, Fla. (August 12, 2026) – TMRW Sports has added flag football legend Vanita Krouch for a key role building the player relations function for the new women’s and men’s professional flag football league being created in partnership with the National Football League. Krouch, a longtime quarterback of the U.S. women's national flag football team and a three-time IFAF world champion, is the most decorated female athlete in international flag football. The announcement was made today by Champ Kelly, senior vice president, operations, flag football for TMRW Sports.
In this role, Krouch will serve as the primary liaison between athletes and TMRW Sports’ professional flag football league, overseeing player communications as the league launches development camps, combines and talent identification programs for its inaugural season. She also will help establish player onboarding procedures, housing resources, player well-being initiatives and support programs, while gathering feedback on competitive testing, uniforms, training facilities and other player-focused initiatives. Her first assignment will be representing TMRW Sports at this week’s 2026 IFAF World Championship in Düsseldorf, Germany, where she will engage with athletes as part of TMRW Sports’ sponsorship of a players’ lounge and recovery space.
“Vanita has earned the respect of every corner of the flag football community through her accomplishments, leadership and unwavering commitment to raising the profile of the sport. As we build the foundation of this new professional league, there isn’t a better person to help shape the player experience,” said Kelly. “From recruiting and player development to creating a world-class environment, Vanita brings something you can’t coach, the perspective of an elite competitor who knows precisely what athletes need to succeed. As we structure our talent identification and development programs, her voice ensures we’re building this league around the players from day one.”
“Representing Team USA has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” said Krouch. “Working with TMRW Sports to help launch a professional flag football league for women and men gives me an opportunity to advocate for players and create a future where the next generation of flag athletes has more opportunities than ever. I take great pride in being a part of this exciting next evolution for the sport.
Krouch has built a legacy unmatched in women's flag football. As the former quarterback and captain of the U.S. women's national flag football team, Krouch led the U.S. to three IFAF Flag Football World Championships (2018, 2021, 2024), the 2023 IFAF Americas Continental Championship, and a silver medal at The World Games in 2022, where flag football made its debut on the international multi-sport stage. Under Krouch's leadership, the U.S. compiled a 50-3 international record. A former NCAA Division I basketball standout at Southern Methodist University, Krouch transitioned to flag football after college and quickly became a star within the sport. She has also helped shape the future of the game as offensive coordinator for the NFC at the inaugural NFL Pro Bowl Games flag football competition and as one of the sport's most visible ambassadors for both the NFL and IFAF.
Away from competition, Krouch's journey is as compelling as her résumé. Krouch’s family fled war-ravaged Cambodia to a refugee camp in Thailand, before moving to the Philippines where she was born. Professionally, Krouch has spent more than two decades as an elementary physical education teacher, impacting thousands of students while promoting health, confidence and the value of sport. She remains deeply committed to growing flag football through youth development, coaching, mentorship and advocacy for girls and women in the game.
TMRW Sports and the NFL are launching the professional flag football league prior to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Fans will experience the league’s fast-paced, elite-level competition and tech-forward presentation. Ultimately, professional flag football aims to deliver data-driven storytelling and technology that immerses audiences in the sport’s speed, agility and athleticism. Adding this pro-level tier will play an important role within flag football's broader global pathway, capping a growing youth, high school, collegiate, international and Olympic ecosystem with the opportunity to compete professionally for women and men.
The league has support from a broad and influential investor pool, including all 32 NFL club owners, established institutional and strategic investors, and current and former NFL players, reflecting confidence in the sport's long-term growth potential and increasing global relevance. TMRW Sports has formed a strategic partnership with the International Federation of American Football, the international governing body for American football and the IOC-recognized federation responsible for flag football competitions in the Olympic Games. This partnership is designed to further accelerate the growth, visibility and accessibility of flag football around the world, including supporting the 2026 IFAF World Championship in Düsseldorf, Germany, the first qualifying event for the Olympic Games.
More than 20 million people currently play the sport around the world, with participation continuing to grow across all levels. Approximately 4.1 million youth play flag football in the U.S. alone – more than a 50% increase since 2020. Flag football is now offered at the high school level in 40 states, with the number of young women playing on their high school teams increasing by nearly 60% from 2024 to 2025. In addition, more than 250 colleges and universities across the country now offer women’s flag football programming. The NCAA recently approved flag football as part of the Emerging Sports for Women program and voted at its spring meeting to recommend that Divisions I, II and III add a National Collegiate Flag Football Championship as early as spring 2028.