Collegiate women's flag football game debuts on Bears' home turf

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - History was made on the Chicago Bears' home turf as flag football took center stage in a groundbreaking collegiate matchup.

First-Ever Collegiate Women’s Flag Football Game

What we know:

The players are the pioneers of the fast-growing sport of flag football. The first-ever collegiate game pitted Benedictine University against Rockford University at the Walter Payton Center on Saturday. 

The girls who played on the first high school teams are now committing to colleges and growing the sport.

"This is their sport, not a men’s sport that they’re allowed to play. This is their own sport. This is their own brand," said Gustavo Silva, Chicago Bears manager of youth and high school football.

It was a by-invitation game, giving youth players from around Chicago a glimpse of what’s possible for them. 

On the sidelines was Erin Pruitt, head coach of Simeon High School’s flag football team. She brought her young players to watch.

"I think it builds confidence. It allows them to see that this really can be you. It helps them with planning; it helps them with goal-setting. It helps them with setbacks, too. It helps to build a lot of adversity. So when they run into an issue on the field, we’re really coaching them through that moment, not just to be a better athlete, but a better student, a better friend," said Pruitt. 

What's next:

The goals for flag football are Division I teams, the Olympics and beyond.

"We don’t want girls to graduate without having the opportunity to play this game that we love," said Silva.

For this moment, the Bears invoked the name of the most powerful woman in the NFL: Virginia Halas McCaskey. 

They said she would be smiling down on this game.