PIAA to vote on sanctioning Girls Flag Football
(WHTM) – The PIAA Board of Directors will vote on whether to sanction Girls Flag Football tomorrow, May 15.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens all have youth Girls Flag Football Programs. Sanctioning the sport would allow the PIAA to regulate the sport and host District and State Championships.
Steelers Youth Football shared a timeline of Girls Flag Football on X on Tuesday outlining how the sport has grown and evolved in Pennsylvania:
2022 – The Steelers and Eagles launch Girls Flag Football leagues featuring six schools with the Steelers and 16 teams with the Eagles.
2022 – The Eagles host a Girls Flag Football Championship and College Showcase. The Steelers also host a championship and a game during halftime of their preseason game on August 28.
2023 – The Eagles increased to 38 Girls Flag Football teams and the Steelers increased to 22 teams. The Eagles hosted multiple Learn to Play events, coaching and officiating clinics, a College Showcase and another championship. The Steelers hosted another championship.
2023 – In July Girls Flag Football was categorized as an Emerging Sport by the PIAA
2024 – The Steelers and Eagles leagues have expanded to 100+ teams.
May 15, 2024 – The PIAA will vote whether or not to sanction Girls Flag Football.
Big 33 Football Classic adding Girls Flag Football through NFL partnership
The most recent girls’ sport to be sanctioned by the PIAA was girls wrestling, which achieved the status in May of 2023. Now, one year later, Girls Flag Football is hoping for the same fate.
The first-ever PIAA girls Individual Wrestling State Championships were held in March, marking a historic event for Pennsylvania high school sports. History has a chance to be made again tomorrow if the PIAA votes to sanction Girls Flag Football.
According to a report from the National Federation of State High School Association (NFHS) since the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) first started girls flag football about 20 years ago, nine states have sanctioned the sport including Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Nevada, Alaska, New York, Arizona, Illinois and California.
Pennsylvania could become the 10th state to do so tomorrow.
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