EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Laneah Bryan, an El Paso native and graduate of Franklin High School, was selected out of 60 players to the preliminary 18-athlete roster for USA Football’s Women’s Flag Football National Team at their trials earlier this year.
Bryan, age 27, is now training six times per week in preparation for the final training camp in May, where for the second time, she will be vying for a spot in the final 12-athlete active roster that will represent the U.S. at the International Federation of American Football Flag Football World Championships in Finland, later this summer.
Bryan already suited up once for the Stars and Stripes at last year’s IFAF Americas Continental Flag Football Championships.
“I’ve played sports my whole life, but to have ‘USA’ across your chest, it just has a different meaning,” Bryan said.
A game changer, Bryan made the decisive interception in the one-score championship game against Mexico in the tournament last year, that helped secure a gold medal for Team USA.
A gifted athlete, Bryan played NCAA Division l basketball for the University of New Mexico from 2014-2018, before she began playing flag football in local leagues in El Paso, merely for fun.
However, her passion for the sport grew so much that she began traveling to competitive flag football tournaments across the country, where U.S flag football scouts recruited her to represent the national team.
In a 5-on-5 match, Bryan plays on defense as a cornerback.
Bryan said not everyone is built to play defense and that most people choose to play offense, but she welcomes the challenge of playing “arguably” the most difficult position in the sport.
“What do they say? Offense sells tickets, defense wins games. So it can be a little bit of that. But when you get that opportunity and you make an interception or get a big stop, you know that feeling in that moment, it just means so much more,” said Bryan.
As Bryan makes a name for herself, she hopes to help grow the sport in the Borderland, and to serve as a role model for future generations.
“Setting the foundation for these younger girls, they see us playing and they’re like, ‘Ok, there is a space, there is opportunity for girls to play football,’” Bryan said. “They’ve (USA Football) created a pathway for girls to compete in flag football at a very high level.”
An official member of the IFAF, USA Football is the nation’s governing body of American football and a recognized sports organization of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
Tasked with assembling the flag football national squads, USA Football says that the sport is exploding internationally, with millions of people now playing across 100 countries around the world.
Bryan plans to host a youth football camp in El Paso in May. She said the details of the camp are still being worked out, but you can follow her Instagram account for updates.
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