UNLV and the Las Vegas Raiders are coming together to create a program focused on empowering middle school girls through flag football. Other groups in the Las Vegas valley are using sports to boost body image and mental well-being. Grit, no fear, and getting the job done on a football field.

There’s a new UNLV program that’s using sports to help middle school-aged girls cope with mental health and body image issues. Started in January, it’s called RUSH. The R stands for Raiders, because UNLV’s partner in the program are the Las Vegas Raiders. And it’s taking advantage of the increased popularity of flag football among young women as a recruitment tool.

Flag football has grown a lot as a sport since it reached Clark County high schools in 2012. Recently approved to debut at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, the sport has gained attention among girls and people concerned about brain injuries such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. In partnership with the Raiders, UNLV’s School of Public Health developed the RUSH program to address mental health for middle school girls by increasing their awareness of the rapidly-growing sport of flag football. Professor Dr. Jennifer Pharr shares details about the program and the future of high school sports in Las Vegas with co-host Dayvid Figler.

The Rush program focuses on keeping girls active as they grow older.

RUSH - Raiders, UNLV, Sports and Health - is happening this Friday. Created by the UNLV School of Public Health, RUSH is a sports clinic for local middle school girls to encourage them to pursue sports in high school.

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