The defense chases a ball carrier at Stevenson High School flag football practice at the Lincolnshire school on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com

Gustavo Silva saw girls succeed on the wrestling mat. He knew those triumphs could be replicated on the football field, and the former wrestling coach at Dundee-Crown High School found himself in an ideal job to transform that vision into reality.

Hired as the Chicago Bears’ manager of youth football and community programs in 2018, Silva approached his director about starting a girls flag football league. The NFL and Nike, one of the league’s sponsors, previously pledged support to the cause, and Silva wanted to focus the Bears’ effort on their home state. It was time to be proactive about the sport’s popularity.

“Th

See Full Page