RUSH: Uniting Las Vegas Raiders and UNLV to Empower Girls through Flag Football and Public Health Program

The Las Vegas Raiders and the UNLV School of Public Health collaborated to create the RUSH program, which was held at the UNLV Peter Johann Memorial Soccer Field. Nearly 100 middle school girls participated in the flag football introduction through this program. RUSH aims to showcase how sports can positively impact lives and emphasizes the health benefits and skills that sports provide.

Dr. Jennifer Pharr, a professor of public health at UNLV, highlighted the numerous advantages of young girls engaging in sports. These include lower risks of chronic diseases, improved mental health, and the development of valuable skills such as leadership and goal-setting. Despite these benefits, research has shown that girls in middle school are more likely to drop out of sports than boys, which is why RUSH was designed to encourage girls to continue playing sports throughout high school. Flag football was selected as the core component of the program due to its growing popularity among young girls and its potential for scholarships and future participation in collegiate leagues.

RUSH was created with an emphasis on addressing the alarming increase in anxiety and depression among teenagers during the pandemic. Dr. Pharr emphasized that sports play a critical role in helping young women build confidence, resist peer pressure, and avoid health issues later in life. The ultimate goal of the program is to empower youth in Las Vegas to succeed and thrive in their future years.

The RUSH program is funded by the Las Vegas Raiders and taught by professors from UNLV’s School of Public Health. The program aims to showcase how participating in sports can positively impact one’s life by emphasizing health benefits and important life skills.

Dr. Jennifer Pharr highlighted various benefits that come with participating in sports such as lower risk for chronic diseases, improved mental health, leadership skills development, goal setting abilities among others.

Research has shown that middle school girls drop out of sports at a higher rate compared to boys which is why RUSH aimed to encourage them to continue playing throughout high school.

Flag football was chosen as the core component due to its increasing popularity among young girls as well as opportunities for scholarships and future participation in collegiate leagues.

The creation of this program came about due to an increase in anxiety and depression among teenagers during pandemic with a focus on providing tools necessary for success during teenage years.

In conclusion, The RUSH program introduced nearly 100 middle school girls to flag football through a unique approach that emphasizes both physical activity