Albuquerque athlete earns college scholarship to play flag football

An Albuquerque Academy senior is headed to college on a scholarship to play flag football.

At a recent showcase in Houston, Emanee Cerda caught the eye of Mars Hill coach Max Switzer, who offered her an opportunity to be on the Division II college’s inaugural women’s team.

Cerda has played flag football on local co-ed and all-girls teams for the past four years, but the opportunity to play at the next level was something the 17-year-old couldn’t have envisioned just a few years ago.

“They (the boys) would say how I wasn’t meant to be out on the field. I heard people say ‘she’s not going to college for this’ so there’s just been a lot of people who have said things and it brings me down, but I’ve just learned to ignore it,” she said.

Cerda’s persistence and grit earned her respect and honors on the field. Now, she’s possibly the first New Mexican to receive a scholarship in flag football, an emerging sport at the college and international levels.

Women’s flag football teams typically consist of around 25 players, with seven on the field at a time. Games feature four 12-minute quarters played on an 80-yard-by-40-yard field. Teams have four chances to reach the opponent’s 20-yard line to earn a first down.

Touchdowns are worth six points, as in traditional football, and teams can attempt extra points: one point from the 5-yard line or two points from the 10-yard line.

The sport has been growing in popularity. Mars Hill reports that during the 2023–24 season, the number of female competitors of any age more than doubled year over year, with approximately 43,000 girls participating compared to 20,875 the previous year.

The sport is expected to continue growing. In the 2025–26 season, 16 NCAA teams across all three divisions are projected to compete at the varsity level. An additional 22 teams are expected to join by the 2026–27 season.

“Now that flag football has started emerging and giving out scholarships, these girls that had dreams about playing can now not only play but get scholarship money for college,” Switzer said.

Emanee’s drive

Cerda said her flag-football campaign was driven by her siblings’ connection and her interest in the sport.

Emanee (first name pronounced uh-mahn-ee) plays quarterback and other positions. Her current club squad is Desert Reign, an all-girls NFL Flag team coached by her father, Eric Cerda.

Eric said Emanee was determined to keep up with the boys.

“She held her own. She even broke her arm at a practice and had to take some time off. After her arm healed, she then strapped her cleats back on and went back on the field like if she never left.”

Additionally, Eric claimed expanding flag football across the country would be beneficial, especially if it becomes accessible in New Mexico.

“After going up to the college showcase in Houston, it really opened up my eyes on the opportunity these young ladies have,” Eric said. “It’s unfortunate our state has not sanctioned flag football in high schools yet.”

After hearing about a college flag-football showcase hosted by the Houston Texans, Cerda became the only New Mexican girl to attend.

“It was really scary. I went there, I didn’t know anybody and teams from Texas were there and knew each other,” she said.

Cerda and the other competitors participated in various football drills and Switzer took notice.

“When I first saw her, she was warming up and working on her form before even throwing a ball,” he said. “When the drills finally started, she carried her warm-up to the drills and had a very smooth throwing motion.”

Switzer asserts “no matter what position she plays,” Cerda will excel.

“When you talk to Emanee, you hear how much she loves the game and will do whatever it takes to help the team,” he said.

According to Switzer, Cerda will be competing for a starting job and if she doesn’t win the quarterback position, she will take on a receiver role or another spot on offense. She will also play defense. Mars Hill, in western North Carolina, is an associate member of Conference Carolinas for women’s flag football.

Showing what’s possible

One of Cerda’s goals is to pave the way for female athletes to make an impact in sports, even those sports that are predominantly male.

“The bigger picture is to inspire younger girls,” she insisted. “I kind of see it in a way where football isn’t just for guys. It’s also for the younger girls and my teammates. It makes me really happy, and I love to be able to show them that it’s possible.”

Cerda says she hopes to one day compete on a USA flag football team, or even coach the sport.

Her dream? Playing in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where men’s and women’s flag football will debut.