Mexican flag football star invited to NFL Pro Bowl with Manning!

Diana Flores, world champion quarterback for the Mexico Women’s National Flag Football team, will serve as offensive coordinator for the American Football Conference (AFC) team in the 2023 Pro Bowl Games, the NFL announced.

Flores, who also plays for the Borregos Santa Fe team, is currently considered the best player in the world, alongside legends such as Peyton Manning, the team’s head coach, and defensive coordinator Ray Lewis.

Peyton Manning is a two-time Super Bowl champion and MVP as a quarterback, while Lewis is a Hall of Fame member, 12-time Pro Bowl player, and two-time Super Bowl champion.

“I feel very honored and privileged to be the AFC’s captain and offensive coordinator for the first Pro Bowl Games alongside Peyton Manning and Ray Lewis, two legends,” Diana said via Twitter.

“Dreams do come true, and sometimes reality goes far beyond our dreams,” she added.

What’s more, the National Football Conference (NFC) team will be coached by Eli Manning, Peyton’s brother, DeMarcus Ware will be the defensive coordinator, and Vanita Krouch the offensive coordinator.

Eli is a two-time Super Bowl champion as a quarterback. Ware is a Super Bowl champion and a 9-time Pro Bowl player, while Krouch is a quarterback for the United States women’s flag football team.

“Bringing together an extraordinary coaching staff that combines NFL legends who have years of Pro Bowl experience with flag football champions who are the best in the world will ensure this first-ever Pro Bowl game is incredibly exciting, competitive, and entertaining,” said NFL Executive Peter O’Reilly in a statement.

O’Reilly said that this year’s Pro Bowl will be special because of the inclusion of women’s flag football.

“(It will be special) through the appointment of Vanita Krouch and Diana Flores as our offensive coordinators. Having these elite Women’s Flag Football players from the U.S. and Mexico as counterparts to Peyton and Eli Manning,” he added.

“Diana represents all women”

Arely Pérez, also known as coach Kelly and who coached Diana in Santa Fe from 2018 to 2022, said that this appointment is a sign that barriers are being broken.

“She’s achieving dreams that weren’t even thought possible before. (Diana Flores) represents all the women and people who trust their dreams every day and work very hard to make them come true,” she said.

Coach Kelly, who is currently one of the first female coaches in ONEFA with Borregos State of Mexico, said that Diana is a leader who leads by action and who aims for perfection in everything she does.

“This is the mindset of the best flag football athlete in the world: she focuses all her passion on her daily work and knows that the only formula for success is to do things better than anyone else, even if no one is watching, and to always believe that you can,” said coach Kelly.

“I feel lucky to have been a part of her professional and athletic career and to witness her growth. This is just the beginning for flag football and for Diana Flores,” she said.

“Dreams come true, and sometimes reality goes far beyond our dreams.”- Diana Flores

A career full of achievements

24-year-old Diana Flores led the Mexican team this year to win the gold medal against the United States at The World Games 2022 in Alabama.

This year she also led Borregos Santa Fe to be three-time champion in the top league.

She has been part of the team since the 2014 World Cup in Italy. In 2016, she participated in the Miami World Cup; in 2018, the World Cup in Panama; and in 2021, she debuted as captain and got the team to second place in Jerusalem, Israel.

Diana was awarded the Borrego de Oro, the highest recognition that can be given to Tec students for their sports leadership.

She graduated from the Tec with honors for being an excellent Marketing and Communication student and she is currently studying for an MBA at EGADE Business School.

Diana Flores, flag football’s Mexican dancer

Diana Flores, flag football’s Mexican dancer

As a child, she practiced ballet but changed to flag football. After a while, she joined the Borregos Santa Fe team.

One of her plays went viral with millions of views on social media, attracting the attention of media outlets such as Sports Center, who contacted her to publicize her achievements on social media.

She’s currently a member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), working to give a voice to flag football athletes from across the world, where she collaborates with the IOC (International Olympic Committee).

Flag football has great potential to be included as an Olympic sport for Los Angeles in 2028, thanks to the boost given by the NFL.

“They’re the first step to something bigger in my sporting career. I’m putting in all my effort, mind, and heart towards continuing to prepare myself athletically and being a leader (in this sport),” said Diana in a previous interview.

2023 Pro Bowl Games

The 2023 Pro Bowl Games will be a series of competitions between the American and National Football conferences in Las Vegas, Nevada, in February of that year.

Three 7-on-7 flag football games will be held on February 5, with the best players in the league from both conferences. 

Each game will be divided into two 20-minute periods and will be played on a 50-yard field, with 10-yard end zones.

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