Aptos High senior Ella Porter trained for seven days a week on her craft as the quarterback for the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League flag football champion Mariners during the 2025 campaign.
Their season came to an end Nov. 3 after an early exit in the first round of the inaugural Central Coast Section playoffs, yet Porter’s workload didn’t stop.
If anything, she got busier.
All of the sweat of her brow has led to the pinnacle of Porter’s rapid rise: She is now a pro.
That’s correct. A young woman who hasn’t yet graduated high school is playing professional flag football.
Porter is one of the newest members for the Golden State Storm, an expansion team based in San Francisco competing in the Women’s National Football Conference Flag Varsity Top 100 Tournament.
The Mariner star player has been lining up in both the slot wide receiver position and in the backfield as a running back, and thinks she’s held her own so far.
“I’m super excited,” Porter said when asked about the upcoming season. “Getting to play with all these great players, it’s a big step up. We’re not having to spend time doing fundamental stuff because everyone is so skilled, so it’s just been about figuring out the offense and what is going to work for us.”
The 16-teams in the WNFC have both tackle and flag squads. Porter didn’t take long to leave her imprint. She made “her”story by scoring the first touchdown in Storm history during the league’s opening weekend in Las Vegas on March 20.
The Storm will next compete at the We Run The World tournament in Albuquerque, New Mexico on April 18. Porter is loving it already.
“I’ve built a pretty good connection with one of the quarterbacks,” Porter said. “And they released the roster for this week and I’m on the final 12 as a running back, so I feel like I will continue to get to play.”
The Simone Biles fan and former gymnast used her athleticism on the field this past fall, accounting for 47 touchdowns and earning the distinction as the only player in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties to produce more than 1,500 total yards in both passing and rushing categories.
Those numbers led to Porter being unanimously named the SCCAL’s most valuable player.
Porter was recruited to play for the South Bay team as part of Get Sports Focus’ All-Star game at Gunderson High School in San Jose on Dec. 29. She was the only player from this area to get an invitation.
Despite being limited by a sore leg, Porter recorded one interception and stood out throughout the practices, competing with and against the best players from over the hill.
Porter followed up with an MVP performance for the North squad in the Central Coast Girls’ Flag Football All-Star game at Aptos High on Jan. 11, scoring both touchdowns for her team in a 19-12 loss to the South.
The most impressive part of it all is Porter has accomplished all of this despite not playing her natural position in high school.
“[Porter’s] eager to learn,” said Aptos High flag football coach Denise Russo. “And what makes her accomplishments even more impressive is that she has only been playing flag football for two years.”
Porter played quarterback for the Mariners out of necessity, but she is actually more of a Christian McCaffrey-type of running back who is quick, can stop on a dime, and can also catch anything that’s thrown to her out of the backfield.
When told of the comparison, Porter didn’t shy away from it and shared that she actually has a McCaffrey jersey and is a huge fan. She showed off those skills on a number of highlight-reel plays in the Central Coast All-Star Game, when she finally got to play her preferred position, and impressed coaches from both teams.
“Ella has this drive for success that is unmatched,” said Marina High coach Alyssa Dixon, who helped coach the South team. “She gave her all in every single drive and pushed through adversity to succeed.”
Russo, who was also one of the coaches for the North, said Porter stands out as MVP because of her relentless work ethic and leadership.
“[Porter] was the team captain for a reason; she was the first to get there and the last to leave,” Russo said. “She dedicated herself to offseason strength training, voluntary film study, and her extra work with Reggie Stephens on Sundays.”
Porter was invited to an elite camp over the hill led by Dr. Jen Welter, who holds the double distinction as the first woman to play running back on a men’s professional team, and the first woman to coach in the NFL.
Welter was impressed by Porter.
“Ella is an electric player,” Welter said. “She consistently rose to the top of every lineup she was put in.”
The camp was held Feb. 7 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, which was a day before Super Bowl LX was taking place on the same field.
Porter made the connection through her flag football trainer Reggie Stephens, a former cornerback in the NFL and founder of the Reggie Stephens Foundation.
Stephens runs a free Sunday training session for girls flag football players. He began working with Porter more than a year ago, and has seen her improvement.
“What impresses me most about Ella is her work ethic and attention to detail,” Stephens said. “She shows up ready to work every time and brings a positive attitude that lifts the whole group. And I love how she trains at game speed.”
Stephens added, “Her confidence and understanding of the game. Her leadership and ability to execute the little things at a high level has grown a lot.”
Stephens this year launched the RSF Lady Mayans, an elite travel flag football team led by St. Francis High head coach Frank Galvan.
The Lady Mayans have competed against some of the best teams in the state, and Porter has been the best player on the field in most cases.
“[Porter’s] been outstanding for the Mayans,” Stephens said. “Whenever it’s needed, she makes plays.”
The WNFC complies with the same rules used for national team tournaments from years past, all in preparation for the sport making its debut in the 2028 Summer Olympics.
For starters, it’ll be five versus five instead of the high school and collegiate rules, which is 7-on-7. It also means a smaller field, something Porter is still adapting to.
“It’s definitely an adjustment,” she said. “The field is really skinny so there isn’t as much room. I feel like it will be tough for the offenses to move the ball, but we’ll see.”
Stephens, who also sits on the board for the Storm, believes Porter will hold her own.
“I believe she can play at the highest level,” Stephens said. “Her work ethic, discipline and coachability give her the tools to succeed.”
The Storm’s flag season will be highlighted by a trip to Frisco, Texas for a 16-team tournament that will surely draw the eyes of college coaches from across the country, along with national team recruiters.
“The Olympics in 2028 is a dream, but you never know,” Porter said.
Dixon, who is the quarterback of the Storm’s tackle team, is excited to see what lies ahead for Porter.
“[Porter] is a natural leader,” Dixon said. “She leaves it all on the field every opportunity she gets.”
Porter plans to head south to attend Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo with hopes of playing NCAA Division I flag football.
For now, it’s a club sport on campus but it is transitioning, along with many other colleges, to becoming a full-fledged scholarship sport. Stephens has no doubt she’ll thrive in SLO, as well.
“Cal Poly would be getting an athletic, hard-working, coachable student-athlete with strong leadership qualities,” Stephens said. “And, someone with a real drive for greatness.”
Russo echoed Stephens by saying, “there is nobody on or off the gridiron who is working harder than Ella.”
As for getting into Cal Poly, Porter had some nerves leading up to the deadline for applicants to learn of their status.
“Cal Poly is my dream school,” Porter said.
One day, Porter was on the phone with one of her friends who attends Cal Poly when she asked Porter if she was accepted.
Coincidentally, the question came at the right time as Porter and friends from a church group she works with were huddled around a computer to find out the school’s decision.
“When it said I got in, we all just screamed,” Porter said.
Porter will study biological science with anatomy and physiology as a focus. because she would like to get into health care as a career. In terms of her gridiron dreams at Cal Poly?
“I just want to get a tryout and see if I can make the team,” Porter said, remaining humble.
Asked about the whirlwind of her last 12 months, Porter was reflective.
“It feels like I haven’t stopped,” she said. “I never would have imagined everything that’s happened, like getting to play for the Storm is a dream. It’s been crazy, but fun.”
No matter where her path takes her, Porter will remain grateful for everything that’s transpired to this point, and everyone who assisted in making it happen.
“All the people who have helped me, I am just so thankful,” she said.
But in all honesty, it is her supporters such as Dixon who are grateful for the highlight-reel plays and boundless energy she shows off every game.
“I can’t wait to see where her drive gets her not just in football, but in life,” Dixon said.
Golden State Storm Flag Schedule
We Run The World (Albuquerque, NM), April 18
WNFC Regionals (Los Angeles), June 5-7
USA Football Olympic Pathway (Carson, CA), June 20-22
WNFC Finals (Frisco, Texas), late June
Super Flag Invitational International Pro (Huntington Beach), July 4-5
