Sam Singleton, a former cornerback who helped UTEP win the 2000 Western Athletic Conference title, has taken on a new challenge as the head coach of the first women’s flag football team at Howard Payne University in Texas.
The Yellow Jackets will begin competition in the American Southwest Conference in 2026, marking the program’s inaugural season and setting the stage for a potential championship run.
A New Frontier for Women’s Sports
Flag football is experiencing rapid growth across the country, with the NCAA’s Committee on Access, Opportunity and Impact recommending the sport become an official championship event by spring 2028 and eyeing a spot in the 2028 Olympic Games.
Singleton, who began coaching flag football in 2019 and has since worked with professional leagues and high schools, says his priority is to find talented players and build a roster of about a dozen to fifteen athletes.
His recruitment strategy includes scouting at a tournament in Las Cruces organized by El Paso native Johnny Rivers of Sports X Inc., where he hopes to spot the next generation of playmakers.
The initiative reflects a broader push in Texas, where more than 160 schools now participate in girls’ flag football, supported by the NFL’s Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys, while institutions like Howard Payne, a Division III school without athletic scholarships, see the sport as a way to expand opportunities.
With the NCAA poised to take over the college version of the game in 2028, Singleton believes the timing is right for a solid launch that could set a precedent for future programs.