By Michael Preston
Tomorrow’s generation of flag football stars are already making waves on the international stage.
Alongside perennial winners such as Vanita Krouch, Diana Flores and Joann Overstreet - some of the most recognizable names in the women’s game today – a new generation of personalities are on the rise, among them Tatiana Dos Santos from Panama.
Tatiana only turned 20 a few months before the IFAF Americas Flag Football Championships being held at the United States Performance Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, but is making her mark and has already started to establish herself in the game.
“I’ve been playing for flag football since 2018, so this is my sixth year,” she explains. “I just love the game and I love everything about it and how it connects you with people from different countries and around the world. It’s so exciting and I love to meet new people and play out there and have fun, work hard and just get better every day.”
Tatiana’s performances for the Panama U17 team that won at the Pro Bowl in Las Vegas caught the eye of American college recruiters and the wide receiver, who stands six feet tall, received a scholarship offer from the Ottawa University Braves in Kansas.
“My coach now, Liz Sowers, saw me there and she texted me on Instagram and wanted me to talk to her and she offered me a scholarship,” says Tatiana. “I fell in love with the coaches and the school and everything and so I said yes to the offer."
In her first collegiate season in the NAIA and Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Dos Santos was named Honorable Mention All-KCAC at receiver. She had 45 receptions for 553 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 29.1 receiving yards per game.
A tough first day schedule for Panama at the IFAF continental championships this week pitched Tatiana and her teammates against powerhouses the United States and Mexico, along with Canada, leading to an 0-3 start to the competition.
“It’s been a tough day and we lost, but I feel like it was really hard and we could have done better, but it’s okay because we’re still going to play for the third or fourth place,” said Tatiana after a close loss to Canada. “It’s been frustrating, but I trust my team forever and I know we’ll rise from this point.”
Thursday brought another day and another challenge, which Panama rose to meet with wins over Chile (46-7) and Brazil (!8-0), meaning Tatiana and her teammates will get to play for a bronze medal.
“You give your heart whenever you win medals and even though it can’t be first place, it doesn’t matter because you’re making history and putting your country in the spotlight.
“It’s the best thing, being out there knowing that you come from this little country called Panama, it’s really exciting. I love all the people around me who are all supporting me and tell me good things because they know I’ve been working hard for this and to be bigger and to put Panama in the biggest position ever."
Panama plays Canada at 3pm ET in the Women’s Bronze Medal game on Field 1 on Friday at the United States Performance Center.
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