Mexican woman selected for global football program

Arely Pérez García, known as Coach Kelly, has been selected to become part of the first cohort of the IFAF Women’s Leaders program, an initiative promoted by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and Women Lead Sports.

The program is part of a set of measures aimed at accelerating the increase of female representation in football, a priority for the IFAF Board of Directors. 

This graduate from the Tec’s Toluca campus was one of only sixteen women chosen from more than 400 applications from 40 countries.

Kelly noted that this distinction represents a great responsibility by participating as a representative of Mexico in football and flag football.

“It’s a great responsibility; I’m very excited to know that I’m representing my country in the game that I respect and love the most: football and flag football,” she said.

The news arrived privately before becoming public; the coach recalls sharing the moment she found out about her selection with her family.

“I remember running to hug my mom and tell her I’d done it. It’s a moment I’ll never forget,” she said.

According to Kelly, one of the aspects that interests her most about the program is learning about the work of the other participants and learning from the actions they take to promote the development of the sport in their respective countries.

Her career in football

Arely Pérez became the first female coach in Mexico’s Division I Football, an experience she describes as an opportunity to pave the way for future generations.

“I’ve always considered it a privilege: to be at the highest level and, at the same time, to take on the responsibility of paving the way for the women who come after,” she said.

She is currently promoting a community aimed at female football and flag football coaches.

Addressing girls and young women interested in pursuing a career in sport, she shared the following message.

“You should know that you belong in all spaces, from the gridiron to where the most important decisions are made. Passion, love, and intelligence have nothing to do with gender,” she highlighted.

“Passion, love, and intelligence have nothing to do with gender.”

Coach Kelly and Tec de Monterrey

Kelly recounted that her connection with the Tec began at an early age, when she attended a Major League game.

She later studied Biotechnology Engineering, a degree in which, she commented, she developed skills related to engineering thinking, observation, and decision-making with an ethical perspective.

During her university years, she participated in an academic exchange in Slovakia and played on teams which won two national championships.

In the professional sphere, she noted that the Tec allowed her to develop as a coach, first in flag football and later in football, until she became the first female Major League coach.

A new chapter with the 49ers

Currently, Kelly Pérez serves as head of the 49ers Flag Mexico program.

In this position, she participates in initiatives bringing flag football closer to girls and boys in different regions of the country.

“We’re convinced that we’ll find all the gold in Mexico and bring the game to more than 30,000 children for free during this first year,” she said.

She also indicated that she will continue working on the professional development of coaches and players, as well as on actions related to the growth of the sport in Mexico.

“In Mexico, there’s much work to be done to continue growing the game and making it a safe place where we all belong,” she concluded.

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