The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association has become the latest governing body in the nation to approve girls’ flag football as a sanctioned high school sport, according to PIAA.
The sport was approved after its proposal met specific requirements set forth by the PIAA. Its board of directors determined the requirements were met and voted Wednesday to add the sport next year for girls.
One of the qualifiers was to have at least 100 participating teams across the state.
The PIAA stated in its release that 65 schools from the eastern side and 36 from the western was enough to move forward. The threshold was reached earlier this year in April.
“We’re thrilled that we can offer another opportunity for girls to participate interscholastic athletics,” PIAA President Frank Majikes said in a statement. “This is the second girls’ sport in two years to be approved. In recognizing the National Federation of High School Associations (NFHS), we will be initiating development of a girls’ flag football rules book in January 2025. This will allow us to develop our process to host a championship. The structural changes to the sport won’t begin until the 2025-26 school year.”
The Eagles and Steelers have been working behind-the-scenes for the past three flag seasons developing initial leagues to get the program off the ground. Among the offerings they’ve supplied include education, engagement, distribution of equipment, and resources, the PIAA noted.
“This is not just an important day for the Eagles and Steelers, but for the sport of football and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Chairman & CEO of the Philadelphia Eagles Jeffrey Lurie said. “When we launched our girls’ flag football league in 2022, we set an ambitious five-year goal to get the sport sanctioned in our state. Now, here we are three seasons later and two years ahead of schedule. The sport’s organic growth is a credit to the participants, administrators, coaches, officials, and parents who helped raise the profile of girls’ flag football.”
Pittsburg Steelers President Art Rooney, II called it a “groundbreaking moment.
“It has been great working with the Eagles to accomplish a successful ruling that will now give young girls the chance to compete at a state level,” he said. “We look forward to seeing how girls’ flag football continues to grow in Pennsylvania and worldwide.”
Background from the PIAA:
“Launched in the Spring of 2022, the Eagles Girls’ Flag League began with 16 schools from the Philadelphia Public and Catholic Leagues. The program then expanded to 38 teams in 2023 and then to 65 in 2024. Of those participating teams, the Philadelphia Public and Catholic Leagues have made girls’ flag an official sport within their leagues – designating their own league chairs and hosting their own championships. The Eagles Girls’ Flag League has more than 1,600 girls playing throughout the eastern side of Pennsylvania.
The Eagles’ support for girls’ flag football has also included the facilitation of learn-to-play, coaching, and officiating clinics, a girls’ flag sports performance combine, girls’ flag jamborees, and the girls’ flag championships, which have been hosted at the NovaCare Complex and Lincoln Financial Field.
As part of their ongoing commitment to increase access to girls’ youth sports, the Eagles partnered with Operation Warm to launch an innovative new sports bra line – FLY:FWD – designed specifically for young girls and women competing in sport.
The initiative kicked off with the distribution of 30,000 FLY:FWD sports bras to girls in need across the Greater Philadelphia area.
The Steelers Girls’ Flag Football League began in 2022 with six schools. The first championship game was held at Acrisure Stadium. That year, the team hosted their first Steelers Flag Jamboree – a free camp for girls in grades 7- 12 who are interested in learning more about playing flag football.
In 2023, the program grew to 17 schools with 22 teams. The organization implemented “Steelers Showcase Game of the Week,” where current Steelers players attend girls’ flag football games to show their support for the teams and highlight game changers within the league. Ahead of the 2023 season, the team hosted a special uniform unveiling at Acrisure Stadium. The uniforms were hung in the Steelers locker room with special lighting to make it a one-of-a-kind experience for the participants. This year’s championship game was held at Carnegie Mellon University.
This year, the program grew to 36 high schools, with the Steelers hosting a girls’ flag coaching clinic and college showcase. The “Steelers Showcase Game of the Week” and Steelers Flag Jamborees are still largely successful events that continue to highlight girls’ flag football, giving girls the opportunity to learn more about the sport.”
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Photo: PIAA, Eagles and Pittsburgh leagues
