Maci Joncich (JOHN-sitch) made history last summer when she became the youngest player to make the U.S. National Women’s Flag Football Team at age 17, helping the U.S. capture its third straight world championship title in Finland — a milestone Joncich calls ‘the greatest experience of her life.’ However, this is just one of the many ways the sport has enriched the life of the Henderson, Nevada native.

Flag football, primarily driven by girls and women, has quickly become one of the world’s fastest-growing sports. In the conversation below, Joncich — now a freshman at the University of Florida where she plays on the club team — shares her journey to the sport, the lessons it’s taught her, and her hopes for its future, which includes LA 2028 and beyond.

*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Maci, I read that when you started playing flag football you were the only girl in your league. Can you talk about how you got into the sport and what your early experiences were like?

Maci Joncich: I have two older brothers, and we’re a very active family. We’ve always been playing sports, from when we were younger all the way through our college years.

When I was younger, my brothers played in this little Saturday flag football league here in Henderson [Nevada], and I thought it looked so cool. I always wanted to join, but I knew I’d be the only girl. One of their coaches said, ‘Hey, you should give it a try—you look athletic.’ I thought, ‘Okay, why not?’

So, I joined, and I was the only girl out of hundreds of guys. But it was so much fun, and looking back, I’m really grateful for that experience. It definitely helped shape who I am today.

Nevada, your home state, is one of the few places that has sanctioned girls’ flag football as a high school varsity sport. Can you talk about what flag football means to your state?

Joncich: Yes, I think it’s huge! In the Las Vegas Valley, it’s a big sport and it’s a big deal. I played for three years for my high school. They didn’t have it my freshman year due to COVID, but, during those three years, I was travelling to other schools and playing — seeing the people that would come to the games. It’s a big deal. I really, really appreciated that, and I’m so thankful for it because I know so many other states don’t have it yet, and I think that’s crazy.

I really think the movement to get flag football in all states is really important, but in Nevada, it’s a big deal not only for high school athletes but for youth as well.

Now, the sport will make its Olympic debut at the LA 2028 Games! What does the growth of flag football mean to you and can you talk about some of the changes in terms of accessibility and opportunities that you’ve seen from when you first started playing the sport up until now?

Joncich: I think the Olympic announcement was the biggest thing that we’ve seen for flag football, and it’s so, so cool! Just looking back to when I started, I was the only girl in a league full of hundreds of guys. I visited that league a couple of months ago, and now they have girls’ and women’s divisions. That really wouldn’t be [possible] without this rapid growth and the Olympic announcement.

It’s been extremely beneficial for the sport. As for accessibility, people are able to play the sport so much more when there are leagues that have it for girls, for guys — for everybody! I think it’s really important.

What changes have you seen since the Olympic news broke just over a year ago?

Joncich: Even at the high school level, my junior year, we had maybe 50 girls try out but by my senior year, we had 10 to 20 more. That’s a small difference, but you can still see the impact that it did make. With the adult division that I’m kind of moving my way into now, you can definitely see the growth. There are so many more athletes, and they really have this passion that’s driving them towards the Olympics. It’s really cool to see how hard people are working and how they’re bringing it into their gameplay.

I want to talk about your international career. You helped lead the U.S. women’s national team to their third straight world title this summer in Finland. You were the youngest player ever to make the women’s roster. Can you talk about your experience with the team?

Joncich: It was incredible! Finland was really the greatest experience of my life and I will say that forever. Being a part of the team, especially as the youngest athlete, was so special because I was just able to play [alongside] athletes who are incredible at what they do.

Even playing against the women in other countries, visiting with the men and seeing how their gameplay is different from ours, it’s so special. I feel like I can grow as a player and as a person by surrounding myself with such world-class athletes. It was so, so awesome.

Joncich: I’ve always looked up to Vanita Krouch, our quarterback. She’s an incredible person and a perfect leader — she’s so great and I’ve always wanted to play with her! It’s a dream come true for me to be playing with her and learning from her. We also make each other better. I think it’s really cool that I can do that at this age and still learn from her.

Ashlea Klam, the youngest member of the U.S. women’s national team, discusses the growth of flag football and what she hopes to see in the sport’s future.