In just one year, the Bears went from hosting the first-ever collegiate women's flag football game in Illinois between Rockford University and Benedictine University, commemorating each program's first season, to organizing an inaugural tournament for seven collegiate programs at Halas Hall.
The two-day tournament, which concluded on International Women's Day, featured Rockford and Benedictine as second-year programs and Aurora University, North Park University, Illinois Wesleyan University, Illinois College and College of DuPage as first-year programs.
"It was exciting and gratifying to host the women's collegiate tournament," director of football development Gustavo Silva said. "Seeing the young ladies that came through our girls flag programs now competing at the next level was extremely fulfilling. It's important for us to follow through on our commitment to help build not only the sport, but also a pathway for girls and women in flag football. All roads in this initiative lead to collegiate, Olympic and professional opportunities for women."
Over the past several years, the Bears have helped launch and grow girls flag football at the high school level, starting in Chicago before expanding throughout Illinois, which led to the sport being sanctioned by the Illinois High School Association in 2024.
While remaining active supporters of the high school programs, the Bears are also focused on helping expand opportunities for women at the collegiate level and beyond. Many of the players who competed in the tournament were not strangers to Halas Hall, having attended training camp practices, career expos or even prior state championship games during their high school flag football careers.
One of those athletes is Illinois Wesleyan freshman and two-way player Layah Glover, who graduated from Round Lake High School — just 20 miles from the Bears' practice facility — has attended the club's annual Scout School and earned Bears Girls Flag Football Player of the Week honors in 2024.