As flag football makes its debut in the 2028 Olympics as an international sport, the growth of the sport seems to be skyrocketing.
To the world, flag football has seemed to only come onto the scene within the last 10 years— NFL Play 60 being a main start front for youth leagues across the United States. But for Coach Nikki, flag football has been a cornerstone in her life since 1980’s.
“I remember sitting with my dad watching Joe Montana and Bill Walsh. My dad would ask me ‘what would you call on a 3rd and short?’ or ‘what coverage would you run against passing offense?’ Seems odd for a 5 year old, but I loved every minute. “
-Coach Nikki
Born to parents with an equal love for competition and sports, Coach Nikki’s love for football started at the age of 5 years old watching the San Francisco 49ers with her dad— learning to dissect the offensive plays and learning the different defensive coverage formations. As she attended grade school at Loma Linda Academy, she spent her afternoons with her mother (a physical education teacher for middle school girls) on the field and in the gym. There she began watching the middle school and high school varsity players practice and play 6v6 flag football.
Seventh-Day Adventism and Flag Football
Coach Nikki’s alma mater Loma Linda Academy located in San Bernardino, California, is one of a handful of Seventh-Day Adventist schools that have been playing flag football since the 1970’s. Due to the conservative principles of the Seventh-Day Adventist faith, and the lack of insurance, tackle football programs were not a part of the varsity programs. However, that did not stop the Seventh-Day Adventists from finding their feet in a set a cleats— but instead of helmets and pads, belts and flags were used.
Coach Nikki’s father played against Loma Linda Academy as a rival academy -Monterey Bay Academy- in the 1970s. Monterey Bay Academy, located in Watsonville, California, was home to one of the Northern California tournaments in which the Adventist schools in California competed every September. Over the decades, at least a dozen schools met regularly in the fall to compete in weekend tournaments held at large campuses located in Northern, Central, and Southern California, respectively.
Loma Linda Academy was the elite team to beat for every other Seventh-Day Adventist school. Their level of skill and competition was rarely matched or bested, and it was a legacy that held for decades—even until Coach Nikki’s younger sister graduated from the academy in 2006.
After noting the skill level and offensive creativity, along with the academic opportunities Loma Linda Academy offered, both of Coach Nikki’s parents decided that they wanted to send their kids to Loma Linda.
Coach Nikki’s mother was instrumental in building up and supporting the varsity flag football program at Loma Linda. She started an intramural league to keep the community and alumni involved—even after they were no longer attending the academy—because the Seventh-day Adventist community had a deep love for the game. While Coach Nikki had a strong passion for playing flag football, it was the inspiration and example set by her mother, as a female role model, that motivated her to stay involved in the sport long after she stopped playing.
Adventist Schools in California with Men’s and Women’s Flag Football Programs
Northern
- Lodi Academy
- Monterey Bay Academy
- Mt. View Adventist Academy
- Paradise Adventist Academy
- Rio Lindo Academy
- Sacramento Adventist Academy
Central
- Armona Adventist Academy
- Bakersfield Adventist Academy
- Fresno Adventist Academy
- Modesto Adventist Academy/ (Central Valley Adventist Academy)
Southern
- Escondido Adventist Academy
- Glendale Adventist Academy
- LA Adventist Academy/ (formerly: Lynwood Adventist Academy)
- Loma Linda Academy
- Mesa Grande Academy
- Newbury Park Adventist Academy
- Redlands Adventist Academy
- San Diego Academy
The Adventist Evolution in Flag Football
As the world of flag football—both nationally and internationally—explodes in popularity, Coach Nikki has been hustling to stay current with the evolution of the sport and to promote continued growth and enrollment in Adventist education through the opportunities offered by flag football.
As the world of flag football—both nationally and internationally—explodes in popularity, Coach Nikki has been hustling to stay current with the evolution of the sport and to promote continued growth and enrollment in Adventist education through the opportunities offered by flag football.
Flag football at the high school level has been added to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). With this addition, Coach Nikki became a strong advocate for Adventist academies in Southern California to join the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) in order to support students seeking scholarships in flag football for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)—and eventually the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)—colleges, with the hope that athletes can pursue an elite education while being able to afford it both academically and athletically.
Her current focus is advocating for female athletes in the sport of flag football at the collegiate level. Coach Nikki has been named an Associate Head Coach for the La Sierra University women’s flag football team— located in Riverside, California. They begin their inaugural season in January 2026, with preseason games scheduled right after the holidays.