SNAP sponsored Talent ID Combine and Flag Football Camp to open today

“This is our rugby — it’s in our DNA,” says local ASNOC official By Asi Andrew Fa'asau andrew@samoanews.com Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The American Samoa National Football Federation (ASNFF) is inviting aspiring athletes from across the Territory to take part in its upcoming Talent ID Combine and Flag Football Camp at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Tafuna — a two‐day event designed to identify and develop the next generation of national team players while supporting the rapid growth of one of the world’s fastest‐rising sports. Scheduled for today and Friday, June 24– 25, 2026, the camp will be led by members of the American Samoa Women’s National Flag Football Team, including Head Coach Nicolette Iraeimoana Keresoma Verdugo. Joining Coach Verdugo are several national team athletes who competed against some of the top flag football programs in Asia and Oceania last year. The team represented American Samoa at the 2025 IFAF Asia–Oceania Flag Football Continental Championships in Ningbo, China, where they made history by finishing fourth overall — narrowly missing qualification for the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Düsseldorf, Germany. Their performance established American Samoa as one of the region’s emerging flag football nations and proved that local athletes can compete with — and challenge — some of the strongest teams in the Asia‐Pacific. The Talent ID Combine and Flag Football Camp will offer participants hands‐on instruction in the fundamentals of flag football while introducing them to the skills, discipline, and preparation required to compete at the national and international levels. Athletes will take part in speed and agility testing, football‐specific drills, position instruction, game play, and overall athletic evaluations — all designed to help identify promising talent and develop well‐rounded competitors. ASNFF officials say the camp represents an important step in building the federation’s future national teams and expanding opportunities for local athletes in a sport that will make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. “Flag football has created an unprecedented opportunity for American Samoa to compete on the world stage,” said Ethan Lake, ASNFF Vice President. “Our women’s national team proved at the 2025 Continental Championships that American Samoa can compete with some of the strongest nations in Asia and Oceania. Finishing fourth overall was a tremendous accomplishment and showed the potential that exists within our athletes.” Lake emphasized that the upcoming camp is about more than identifying talent. “This camp allows our national team players and coaches to share the knowledge and experience they gained competing internationally. We want to inspire the next generation of athletes, introduce them to the sport, and help them understand the pathway that now exists from local competition all the way to the Olympic Games. With flag football now part of LA2028, opportunities for athletes from American Samoa have never been greater.” ASNFF is especially encouraging young women between the ages of 14 and 30 to participate in the camp. The program is completely free of charge, and no previous football experience is required. Whether participants are seasoned athletes, play another sport, or are trying football for the first time, the camp is designed to offer a welcoming environment where they can learn the fundamentals of flag football and develop new skills. “We want every young woman in American Samoa to know that this opportunity is for them,” Lake said. “You do not need football experience to participate. If you are athletic, willing to learn, and looking for a new challenge, we encourage you to come out and give flag football a try. Many of our national team athletes came from other sports and discovered that their speed, agility, and competitiveness translated very well to flag football.” With flag football now officially included in the Olympic Games, ASNFF views the sport as one of the most realistic pathways for American Samoa to qualify athletes and teams for future Olympic competition. The federation believes the sport’s accessibility, low equipment cost, and emphasis on speed and skill make it an ideal opportunity for local athletes. “Our goal is not only to build stronger national teams but also to create more opportunities for women in sport,” Lake added. “Our Women’s National Team has already shown that American Samoa can compete with the best teams in the Asia–Oceania region. Now we want to expand participation, identify new athletes, and continue building a program that our Territory can be proud of for years to come.” In addition to football instruction, participants will have the opportunity to learn directly from national team athletes about teamwork, leadership, commitment, and what it means to represent American Samoa in international competition. The Talent ID Combine and Flag Football Camp is open to athletes who want to learn the sport, improve their athletic abilities, and explore future opportunities to represent American Samoa in regional, continental, world championship, and even Olympic competition. ASNFF hopes the event will boost participation in flag football across the Territory while strengthening the pipeline of athletes eligible for future national team selection and development programs. The event is sponsored by the Support Network for Athletes of the Pacific Islands (SNAP) Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Pacific Island women athletes — especially those in flag football — access training, travel, and higher‐level competition. Founded by Nat and Patty Keresoma, the foundation works to remove financial barriers so talented athletes can attend camps, tournaments, and other opportunities they might not otherwise reach. Last year, SNAP supported the Amerika Samoa Women’s National Flag Football Team’s participation in the 2025 IFAF Asia–Oceania Championships in China, reflecting its mission to help Pacific Island athletes succeed on the world stage. ASNFF Vice President Ethan Lake, who also serves as Secretary General of the American Samoa National Olympic Committee (ASNOC), expressed his deep appreciation for the generous sponsorship and unwavering support provided by the SNAP Foundation for local female athletes through tomorrow’s event. “This is certainly a boost for the development of women’s flag football in the Territory and a golden opportunity for local female athletes to receive free instruction from our national women’s team coach, while interacting with players who have represented American Samoa on the international stage,” Lake said. He added that the camp will be a valuable learning experience not only for those already playing the sport, but also for newcomers and athletes from other disciplines. Lake noted that there may be “diamonds in the rough” on island — talented young women who simply need exposure, coaching, and the right environment to reach their full potential. The ASNOC Secretary General reflected on the Territory’s long Olympic journey. Since American Samoa first entered the Olympic Games in 1988, he said, winning a medal has always felt out of reach due to limited sports development programs, a shortage of qualified coaches and trainers, limited resources, and the challenge of building a deep, competitive player pool. “Our chances of winning an Olympic medal just improved dramatically with flag football now being an official Olympic sport,” Lake said. “Rugby Sevens made its first Olympic appearance in 2016, where our Pacific neighbor and sevens powerhouse Fiji won gold. The Flying Fijians repeated the feat in 2020 and but had to settle for silver in 2024.” He drew a direct connection between the Territory’s athletic identity and the opportunity ahead. “This is our rugby — it’s in our DNA,” he said. “It’s American football, and we are American Samoa. We’ve been playing the game since the 1960s, so we already know the basics. That foundation will help us make a smooth transition to the five‐on‐five format of international flag football.” He reiterated the importance of the two‐day camp in advancing that goal, emphasizing that it will help lay the foundation for building national teams capable of becoming a force to be reckoned with, on the international stage. For ASNFF, the camp marks another important step toward building a sustainable flag football program capable of competing with the world’s best, while creating meaningful opportunities for local athletes to succeed both on and off the field. Registration begins at 8 a.m., and space is limited. Section: Local News Tags: FLAG FOOTBALL CAMP
2026-06-24 15:45:32