Dia Prabhakar is a rising star in Girls Flag Football. (Images courtesy of Ashish Prabhakar)
More girls are playing flag football as it gains official recognition as a sport, and it’s drawing many young women from the Desi community in New Jersey.
This spring, Watchung Regional High School sophomore Dia Prabhakar was named to the Big Central Conference (BCC) First Team, an honor that recognizes some of the conference’s best-performing players at their respective positions.
“I’m one of the select few players who performed the best in my position,” said Prabhakar, who played linebacker.
Girls flag football is one of the fastest-growing high school sports in the U.S. Many states have officially sanctioned it as a varsity sport. This year, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) officially approved girls flag football as the state’s sanctioned varsity sport. New Jersey has become the 21st state in the country to grant girls flag football a varsity sport status.
Prabhakar joined her school’s flag football program as a freshman.
“I heard a lot of people talking about the school starting a flag football team for girls, and I thought it was really cool because I had never heard of that before,” she said.
A football fan who grew up watching games and playing football with her dad, Prabhakar saw playing on the team as a chance to combine her passion for football with her love for sports.
It turns out she has a knack for the sport. Prabhakar said that one of her best performances was recording 17 flag pulls in a single game, which made her one of the conference’s top defenders.
“I was given the position of linebacker, and that made me feel like I was able to express myself more and show how I can compete,” she said.
Don't let stereotypes stop you from trying something new. Believe in yourself and work hard. That's when you'll have the most fun.
She speaks highly and enthusiastically about the environment, support system and friendships she made through flag football.
“I made a lot of friends on my flag football team,” she said. “My coaches, especially, are very encouraging and supportive. They’re always encouraging me to be my best. It’s a really good environment.”
Prabhakar is one of only three Indian girls on her school’s team, which means she navigates the experience of being part of a relatively small community within the sport. She says her school fosters an inclusive environment.
She acknowledges that, among the broader South Asian community, some older generations still view football as a boys’ sport. Her own family has always been supportive of her passion for football, and both parents encouraged their daughters to pursue the interests that make them feel happy.
“They have no mindset that this is a boys’ thing or a girls’ thing. They just want us to be happy and try anything,” she said.
Prabhakar plans to try out for a high school girls flag football team affiliated with New York Jets this summer and dreams of competing at the collegiate level in the future. She hopes to attend college in Canada at McGill University or Queen’s University, where she plans to study medicine to become an anesthesiologist.
Prabhakar encourages young women who are interested in flag football to give it a try.
"You don't need much experience to start. You have to start somewhere. Even if you're only a little interested, at least give it a shot because you never know how it's going to be unless you try," she said, adding, "Don't let stereotypes stop you from trying something new. Believe in yourself and work hard. That's when you'll have the most fun."
Aruzhan Yessengeldy is a reporting intern with Central Desi and a senior at Rowan University, majoring in Journalism with a minor in English. She previously served as a staff writer for South Jersey Climate News.
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