Essence Thomas saw her own face on the side of a Community Transit bus in Mukilteo this summer, part of an advertisement celebrating the YMCA of Snohomish County's 125th anniversary. The 13-year-old Everett resident said the moment felt bigger than personal recognition.

"I want to inspire more girls to play," Thomas said in a Snohomish County Tribune profile published Wednesday, Aug. 12. "There are barely any, and I want girls flag football to be bigger."

Thomas started playing flag football at age 9 after years of watching her older brother compete in sports. What began as curiosity turned into a two-team commitment: she plays running back and cornerback for the YMCA of Snohomish County in Mill Creek during spring and fall seasons, and she competes at the travel level with Everett Elite, one of the Pacific Northwest's first girls flag football travel programs. Everett Elite has won regional championships in 2021, 2023 and 2024.

Her mother, Maxeen Faumui, said the sport has given her daughter a platform she's earned. Faumui told the Tribune that Thomas's passion for flag football has put her in a spotlight she deserves, and that win or lose, her daughter stays supportive of teammates.

That attitude extends beyond the field. Several younger cousins started playing organized sports for the first time this year, including soccer, after watching Thomas compete.

A sport on the rise in Everett

Thomas's story arrives as girls flag football gains ground across the region. Everett Public Schools launched the sport as a varsity offering during the 2025-26 winter season, according to The Daily Herald. Statewide, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association sanctioned girls flag football after three seasons as a club sport, and 94 schools fielded varsity teams this past winter.

At the youth level, YMCA Camp Casey hosted the state's first overnight girls flag football team camp around Aug. 8, drawing nearly 80 high school athletes from schools including Everett High School. Bailey Forsyth, youth sports coordinator at the Everett Family YMCA, told the Lynnwood Times that the participants are paving the way for a brand-new sport.

How to sign up

The YMCA of Snohomish County's fall girls flag football season is open to grades K-12. The season runs approximately Aug. 31 through Nov. 7. Registration details are available at ymca-snoco.org/sports or by contacting Chris Bellecourt at [email protected].

Thomas's advice for girls thinking about trying the sport: go for it, don't be afraid of new things, and have fun.