Red Zone Elite RZE NorCal ’26 Flag Football Tournament Coming to Placer Valley Soccer Complex Feb. 14–15

About 3,000 people are expected to play or watch the fastest-growing girls sport in the nation, generating more than $1 million for the Placer Valley economy

ROSEVILLE, Calif. – More than 1,250 boys and girls, including some of the top players in the state, will compete in the first-ever Red Zone Elite RZE NorCal ’26 Flag Football tournament Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 14-15) at the Placer Valley Soccer Complex in west Roseville.

About 80 club teams – including many in Northern California and the Sacramento region, with a few from out of state – will participate in one of the first and largest events at the recently opened soccer complex at 2600 Westbrook Blvd.

The first games kickoff 9 a.m. Saturday, with the final games of the day set for 6 p.m. Championship rounds start 9 a.m. Sunday, with title games around 4 p.m. Every team will play at least four games.

Single-day tickets are $15, with two-day passes available for $20. Tickets are available online at https://zortssports.com/post/c...

Players are between the ages of 8 and 17, with some of the best high school girls in the state playing in the 7-on-7 games. Flag football focuses on agility, speed and passing, with no linemen and 20 yards needed rather than the traditional 10 yards for a first down. Fans also enjoy more laterals, pitches and trick plays since fumbles are not part of the sport.

“The girls are exciting, great athletes,” said tournament director Jason Gourley, who has held the Red Zone Elite RZE NorCal in the Bay Area the past few years before moving to the soccer complex in Roseville.

A BIG GAME FOR THE LOCAL ECONOMY

Attracting the flag football tournament from the Bay Area is a huge win for Placer Valley. More than 3,000 people – athletes, coaches and fans – are expected for the two-day tournament that will generate an estimated $1 million for the local economy.

“So many businesses, from hotels and restaurants to stores, will benefit from the tournament during what is often a slower period for tourism,” said Kim Summers, CEO of Placer Valley Tourism and @the Grounds. “The flag football tournament will also showcase what kind of

events are possible at the soccer complex and will help bring more sports tournaments – and money – to the community.”

Placer Valley Tourism is the naming-rights sponsor of the city-owned soccer complex that features 10 artificial-turf fields and state-of-the-art LED lighting. The $61 million complex, which opened in November, can also be used for field hockey, lacrosse, rugby and numerous other sports.

Flag football, especially girls’ flag football, has surged in popularity, with high-profile games before Super Bowl LX last weekend in Santa Clara amid an ongoing effort to promote the sport by the NFL. Flag football also joins the Summer Olympics lineup in Los Angeles in 2028.

Flag football is the fastest-growing girls high school sport, with at least 45,000 players nationwide, largely because of a push in California, Florida and Georgia.

More than 20,000 high school girls play flag football in California, a dramatic increase from fewer than 500 in 2019, according to the California Interscholastic Federation. The state has almost 1,200 high schools field girls’ teams today compared to only 25 in 2020. (About 700 boys play flag football in high school in California.)

“Many multisport athletes were looking for another sport to play, and flag football gives them a sport that’s easy to learn but highly competitive right away,” said John Avery, head coach of the C.K. McClatchy High School girls’ football team in Sacramento and SYRZ North, a club team that will compete in the Red Zone Elite tournament. “It has also opened the door for new athletes who may not have played football before.”

‘GIRLS SEE FLAG FOOTBALL AS A GLOBAL AND PRO SPORT WITH A REAL FUTURE’

The Sacramento region has some of the best high school girls’ teams in California, including McClatchy, West Park in Roseville and Christian Brothers. The region also boasts some of the top-rated players.

Daisy Throckmorton, a senior quarterback at McClatchy, played in an exhibition flag football game a few days before the Super Bowl and is a member of SYRZ North. She plans to play in the Red Zone Elite tournament with fellow standouts and teammates Savanna Hill, also of McClatchy, Emily Cory of West Park, Gabriella Devlin of Christian Brothers, Monet Zauner of St. Francis, Kyleeann Baird of Elk Grove and several others.

Some of the best high school players like Throckmorton are planning to play flag football in college, with more schools embracing the sport and offering scholarships the past few years. More than 200 colleges have club or varsity teams, including several NCAA Division I teams. NAIA colleges and junior colleges are also fielding teams.

“As college programs continue to expand and scholarship opportunities grow, athletes are beginning to focus more on flag football than their original sport of choice,” Avery said. “The Olympic spotlight has also created tremendous excitement. The opportunity to play for your country is huge. It’s helping girls see flag football as a global and pro sport with a real future.”

Vanita Krouch, quarterback for the U.S. Women’s National Flag Football team, agrees that the ability to play flag football in college and possibly the Olympics are drawing more women to the game.

“To see these girls now having the opportunity to play a sport they love, to compete for scholarships and to dream of the Olympics – it’s a game changer for the culture of sports,” Krouch said.

And a huge opportunity for Placer Valley Tourism.

“We’re always looking at new ways to expand our sports tourism efforts, and we’re proud that we have helped new and lesser-known sports get more attention and grow,” said Summers, who is preparing as the community hosts the Quadball Cup ’26 in April at the Placer Valley Soccer Complex. “Now with a world-class sports venue, we have more opportunities to score large tournaments, from flag football to rugby.”

About Placer Valley Tourism

Placer Valley Tourism is a Business Improvement District that serves South Placer County and the cities of Roseville, Rocklin and Lincoln. The BID operates to help generate incremental room night stays in hotels within Placer Valley Tourism’s geographic footprint through various conferences and youth and amateur sports events. PVT aims to coordinate community and sports events with the best hospitality options in the region. Placer Valley Tourism is a nonprofit and classified as a 501(c)6. For more information, please visit https://www.placertourism.com/.

About @the Grounds

@the Grounds is a multipurpose event facility on 61 acres in the heart of Roseville, California. @the Grounds includes the Roebbelen Center, a 160,000-square-foot event center that can accommodate major amateur sports competitions, large meetings, trade shows, concerts and other events. For more than 80 years, @the Grounds has been the home of the Placer County Fair – an annual celebration of the diversity of the community – along with countless other community, family and corporate gatherings. @the Grounds is the business entity of Placer Valley Sports Complex, a 501(c)3. For more information, please visit https://www.atthegrounds.com/.