Concordia Lutheran flag football player Ariella Rivera was nominated by the Indianapolis Colts as the club’s female representative for the award.
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WFFT) – – All 32 teams are invited to nominated one male and one female high school senior for the 2026 NFL Latino Youth Honors Award.
The Indianapolis Colts selected Concordia Lutheran flag football player Ariella Rivera.
“I was driving girls home from practice actually, and making sure that they got home safely. I was with my mom on the side of me, and I got this email… I see NFL in its name and I’m like, ‘Oh wow!’, Rivera recalls. “When I was able to get that chance to read it thoroughly, I said, ‘Mom we’ve got to park. We’ve got to park!’…
“A couple weeks later, I was able to see that I was nominated fully by the Colts… I think that’s just where I was very in awe.”
2025 marked the inaugural season for Concordia Lutheran flag football, with Ariella and her sister Guadalupe being founding members of the team.
Ariella was an integral part of the team on the gridiron, but Cadets Head Coach Scott Storm says that Rivera is a role model outside of the team as well. In addition to flag football, Rivera also plays volleyball and softball for the Cadets. Away from athletics, Rivera is involved in several extracurricular programs including the Health Occupations Students of America and JROTC Color Guard. Rivera also remains active outside of school as she volunteers with the Community Harvest Food Bank and McMillan Health Center.
“I get a text from her one day that says, ‘Hey I’m not going to be at practice today,’ and then she apologized for it… after practice I went to Kroger and it turns out she was working that night!” Coach Storm recalled. “That says a lot about her character that she didn’t just say, ‘I’m working! This is more important.’ She apologized and then went and did her job which is totally understandable.”
Storm explains that her leadership, dedication, and positive influence both on and off the field earned her the nomination.
“She was just such an amazing leader on the team – I will say like a mother figure… Ariella really took care of the girls,” Coach Storm explains. “As I find out more about her – every time I open a door it’s something new and wonderful about Ariella.”
“No matter how much she’ll say she doesn’t want it, or she doesn’t want the spotlight, she really deserves it,” Cadets senior flag football player Kellyn Cook explains. “Out of all the teams I’ve played on and all the teammates I’ve had, she is one of my favorites. She’s guided me with Christ. We pray before every game, we write verses either on our tapes, our wrists, or our legs.”
Following her nomination, the Colts recognized Rivera at Lucas Oil Field ahead of their matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Rivera was invited onto the field before the game and was able to meet some of the Indianapolis players.
“For me, I think being able to go down with my mom was the biggest blessing,” Rivera says. “It’s kind of like a dream come true. From a household like mine, you work so hard in having to be ten steps ahead. Being able to be down there was just great.”
“Getting signatures for the first time, I think that’s when I was like, ‘wow! This is actually real!”
Alongside Rivera, the Colts nominated Eric Montgomery from Scecina Memorial High School in Indianapolis as the club’s male representative. In total, 62 high school seniors were nominated for the 2026 NFL Latino Youth Honors Award. Eight finalists will be selected in the coming weeks to each receive a $5,000 grant that can be used towards college tuition.
At the conclusion of the NFL season, one male and one female nominee will be honored as the 2026 NFL Latino Youth Honors Award winners and will each receive $25,000 grant towards their higher education. This announcement will be made at the NFL Honors ceremony, which is expected to be held on the Thursday prior to Super Bowl LX.