MECHANICSBURG, PA – The Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers are thrilled to learn of today’s announcement from the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc. (PIAA), declaring high school girls’ flag football an officially sanctioned sport in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The PIAA Board of Directors meeting took place on Wednesday, September 18 in Mechanicsburg, PA, where girls’ flag football was reviewed and approved on the third and final reading to be designated as a state sanctioned sport.
A sport is considered for sanctioning when it has adopted a set of operational and safety standards set forward by a governing body. When these standards and best practices are fully implemented within the overall framework of a program, events create a more positive and structured experience for participants. In the case of girls’ flag football in Pennsylvania, it was required that there be at least 100 participating teams across the state. That threshold was achieved in April with 65 schools from the eastern side of the state (Philadelphia Eagles) and 36 from the western side (Pittsburgh Steelers).
“We’re thrilled that we can offer another opportunity for girls to participate interscholastic athletics,” said Frank Majikes, PIAA President. “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 PIAA thanks the National Football League, Eagles, and Steelers for their support and efforts for girls’ flag football.”
As part of a collaborative approach to get girls’ flag football sanctioned, the Eagles and Steelers worked in tandem over the past three flag seasons to grow the game at the youth level for girls through education, engagement, distribution of equipment, and resources. In July 2023, the PIAA designated girls’ flag football as an emerging sport in Pennsylvania thanks to the efforts of both clubs. This designation served as the next step in the process of getting girls’ flag football sanctioned and ultimately becoming an official sport in PA.
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.
The Eagles and Steelers have received generous support to help grow and expand the game for girls from organizations, such as the NFL Foundation, NFL Flag, USA Football, Nike, FLY:FWD, and corporate partners. Items provided by both NFL clubs to first-year programs: $3,000 stipend ($1,500 stipend to returning schools), 25 customized uniforms from Nike, 30 flag belts, six footballs, and USA Football Flag Kits (flags, cones, footballs).
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