PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Acreage Elite, a 12-and-under flag football league, was created two years ago.
In that short time, they have won four local tournaments and finished in the top five in nearly every national tournament. Now, they are turning their attention to Houston for the AAU Junior Olympics.
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Many great football players have come from Florida and soon, flag football greats could join the lists as the sport grows in popularity.
"Flag football is starting to grow a lot more, especially in USA Men's Flag," Ruben Tirado, the head coach of Acreage Elite, said. "A lot of programs are being built out here, and it's just going to keep growing."
The league started two years ago and has dominated the local scene, winning four tournaments in Florida this year.
Recently, they received a chance of a lifetime, getting the opportunity to go to IMG Academy in Bradenton to play in their state tournament.
"Our most recent tournament, we went 3-0 up in IMG," said Jermiah Terwilliger, the team's wide receiver.
After starting the tournament 3-0, the boys lost in the semi-finals.
"We didn't really recognize their offense and defense for me," said quarterback Mason Tirado. "I had two bad throws that could've been touchdowns, so I really had that on me."
Despite the loss, the 12-and-under squad still qualified for the 2025 AAU Junior Olympics in Houston, but they knew they needed to work even harder.
"We came out here on the field to practice, and we focused on the mistakes we made, and we focused on how we can improve," said two-way star Victor Canales, whose statement is backed by his teammates.
Wideout Ryder Archambault described what they need to do to succeed in Texas.
"A bunch of headtops, some good running plays, and some lockdowns on defense," Archambault said.
With so much to be on the lookout for, coaches are excited for the moments and memories created with their players.
"A couple of years ago, stuff like this wasn't around," assistant coach Will Claude said. "I didn't get to do stuff like this in a travel aspect, so it's special to be able to help these boys and give them an opportunity to do something and broaden themselves."
Click here to learn more about the league.
