Houston-area Hispanic players, coaches compete at NFL FLAG regional

Flag football teams across the nation are competing for a chance to play in the NFL FLAG Tournament of Champions.

Competing at eight regional qualifying tournaments, coordinated by USA Football and sponsored by Verizon, winning teams advance from each age bracket – 911 coed, 1214 boys, 1214 girls – for the chance to call themselves national champions.

As part of the festivities, USA Football and Verizon are celebrating the role that football plays in the Hispanic community. A recent study showed that more Hispanics list the NFL as their favorite spectator sport than the No. 2 and 3 sports combined. There were 30 NFL players of Hispanic origins on 2010 rosters.

USA Football and Verizon recently spoke to young Hispanic flag football players and a coach at the NFL FLAG regional tournament in Houston. Here’s what they had to say about their favorite sport.

Erick Retta, Harlingen, Texas