CHICAGO (WLS) — This weekend marked Pride in Chicago, and in addition to the vibrant festivities, the lakefront hosted one of the nation’s biggest LGBTQ+ flag football tournaments.

The Chicago Bears proudly returned for the second consecutive year to support the Pride Bowl, with athletes highlighting their participation for both the sense of community and the spirit of competition.

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At Montrose Beach in Uptown, the lakefront fields were transformed into a gridiron spectacle. The two-day Pride Bowl tournament attracted over 50 teams and hundreds of athletes from all corners of the country.

“I love to compete, and the people here are awesome,” said Oliver Bassir, who was visiting from California. “Everyone’s super welcoming, and made a lot of friends here, and it’s just a great environment to be in.”

Presented by the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association, Pride Bowl brings together players of all identities, competing across seven divisions.

“We bring six teams out here, and so this is our whole family,” said Mallory Williams, who was visiting from Texas. “We support each other throughout the entire tournament as a city… These are my people.”

The annual event uses a shared love of football to connect members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies.

For Joseph Owens from Washington, D.C., it was his seventh Pride Bowl. He said the event is a reminder of the power of visibility and support.

“It’s super important, representation-wise,” Owens said. “You know, I was a collegiate athlete, and so I didn’t get a lot of time to be myself. So being in a league like this is an amazing opportunity to just be myself and get to play football.”

While the message of inclusivity shines bright, make no mistake, the athletes were there to win.

“The competition is crazy also,” Williams said. “So it’s not that we can’t play football, because we come out here and we rough people up.”

The Bears helped support the Pride Bowl through club donations and volunteers. They’re also helping create awareness for the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association and its flag football league.