“The Future is Flag!” This expression, highlighting the growth of flag football leagues for girls and women, was emblazoned on hundreds of T-shirts sold at a 2022 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) tournament in Gainesville, Florida (also known as “The Swamp Bowl”).
During the Swamp Bowl, the University of Florida hosted 54 flag football teams from across the South to compete in various categories of this new, exciting sport for young girls. Representatives from the U.S. Olympic Committee may have also been in attendance since flag football has now been approved for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games.
NFL and Nike Initiatives
Recognizing the potential of this sport, the National Football League® (NFL) and Nike® announced a $5 million grant in 2023 to encourage state associations to consider adding flag football to their scholastic sports offerings. The NFL is actively sponsoring each of their 32 franchises to encourage girls’ flag football in their respective geographical areas.
Also, the Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been strongly supportive of flag football programs. The youth leagues in their areas reflect the strength of this initiative.
The NFL is acutely aware of how important it is to develop football fans for the future. According to Roman Oben, NFL’s Director of Youth and High School Football, “A football in someone’s hand means they are more likely to be a fan later.” This quote shows concern at the highest levels for ensuring a football fan base for the next 50 years.
The decline of youth tackle football amid safety concerns makes flag football a natural alternative. The sport requires little equipment, has a high familiarity level among many people and is a variation of one of the most popular sports in the U.S.
Nike is developing two training series, “11-Online” and “Stronger Than One.” These training series are aimed at equipping women nationwide with essential sports skills and providing valuable tips for skill development. Nike also provided flag football equipment and apparel to state high school athletic associations that offer flag football or are launching pilot programs.
How Is This Sport Different from Traditional Football?
In 2007, I retired to the Tampa, Florida, area. Shortly afterward, I became aware of the strong interest in flag football in all the Hillsborough County high schools.
I already had a previous background in coaching boy’s high school football in Florida (eight years as a coach and three years as head coach). As a result, it was interesting to view the girls’ flag football game and compare it with the traditional version of football.
My granddaughter became a high school and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) member from the 9th through the 12th grades. Consequently, I had the chance to observe over 200 flag football games over four years.
Here is a comparison of traditional football versus flag football.
| High School/College/Pro Football | Girl’s/Women’s Flag Football | |
| Players on Field | 11 | 7 |
| Size of Field | 100 yards long, 53 1/3 yards wide | 80 yards long, 40 yards wide |
| Required Equipment | Helmet and various protective equipment | None except mouthpiece |
| Typical Plays Employed | Mixture of run and pass | Mostly pass, some run |
| Blocking Schemes | Complicated mixture | None |
| Tackling | Ball carrier is brought down | Flag pull stops play |
| Eligible Receivers | 2 ends, 4 backs | All 7 players |
| Fumbles | Ball carrier and ball separated, can be recovered by either team | None – ball dead when touching ground |
| Place Kicking | Kick-offs, field goals, *extra points | None – Ball is placed on 14- yard line to start game and after touchdowns |
| Punting | Live long snap, defensive rush, returns with blocking | Pre-announced, no rush, returns, no blocking |
| Extra Points | Kicked (1 point), run or pass (2 points), 3-yard line | Run or pass (1 point) – 3-yard line, 2 points (10-yard line), 3 points (20-yard line) |
| First-Down Objective | 4 plays to gain 10 yards | 4 plays to gain 20 yards |
| Time Clock Maintenance | In bounds – continuous; incomplete pass or out-of-bounds stops clock | Continuous except for last 2 minutes of half or game |
| Game Time | 4 15-minute quarters | 4 12-minute quarters |
| Mercy Rule | High schools sometimes allow clock to run continuously with lopsided score | Game ended with 19-point differential at 2-minute mark of second half |
Flag Football Is Expanding Across the US
The popularity of flag football is spreading rapidly across the U.S. At least eight states have officially adopted this sport, including California and New York.
Two of those states – New Jersey and Montana – added flag football leagues this year. At least 17 more states are conducting pilot programs with the intent of adding flag football leagues to their athletic offerings soon.
An example of the rapid growth of flag football is in North Carolina where the Carolina Panthers started a recreational high school league to ascertain local interest. Six teams initially began competition, but the league evolved into 10 fully staffed and competing rosters by the end of one year.
Another startup is Colorado. This state is in the midst of a three-year pilot program with the intent to sanction the sport by 2025.
With heavily populated states such as California, New York and Florida currently offering flag football leagues, that will ensure thousands of high schools will soon be in competition with each other.
Post-High School Flag Football
Playing flag football beyond the high school level is slowly growing as well. Some NCAA schools presently offer it as a club sport, but no athletic scholarships can be awarded until flag football is adopted as an official offering. Smaller, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) colleges are beginning to offer flag football scholarships, mostly in the Southeast.
Scholarships are also available in several Florida junior colleges. If, and when, the sport is officially accepted and implemented as an official scholarship sport at the NCAA level, even more interest will be spurred at the pre-college levels.
A Boy’s Version of 7 on 7
Interestingly, high school football players have played a version of flag football for many years. Teams play in the off-season (usually during the summer), and these practice sessions allow running backs and receivers to improve their passing skills without the pressure of official statistics or the fear of tackling-related injuries. The practice sessions have even developed into mini-tournaments where offensive and defensive backs have perfected their skills for the upcoming football season.
Most recently, an organization called “OT7” has taken boys’ 7-on-7 touch football to the next level. Regional teams have been formed and compete on a national scale.
The new league, now in its 3rd season, includes 400-500 of the best high school football players in America. The league boasts fast-paced, low-contact and red-zone style competition.
The NFL Network has begun televising OT7 games and is sure to heighten interest in boys’ football. However, a few differences between this version and girls’ flag football need mentioning.
The OT7 games are strictly a passing game. There is no pass rush, and quarterbacks are on a “rush clock” to deliver their passes. The center is not eligible as a pass receiver, and all players must wear helmets.
There are no flags to pull from other players, and the play ends when a member of the defense touches the ball carrier. These last two conditions might be used in girls’ flag football to make the girls’ games safer and more viable in the future.
Some Possible Improvements for the Future
For now, girls’ flag football might be improved with some minor but significant changes. Serious collisions could be avoided by requiring flag pullers to complete “tackles” from the side without impeding the ball carrier.
In other words, players who are attempting to pull (or “tackle”) the flag should approach and execute the pull from the side of the flag carrier, rather than head-on or from behind.
The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Rule Book currently states that “In an attempt to remove the flag from the belt, an opponent may contact the body of the ball carrier, but not the face, neck, or head of the runner with their hands.”
Unfortunately, this rule is somewhat vague, and I have seen it interpreted in different ways. Many officials allow “impeded contact,” which violates the spirit of the rule, if not the strict interpretation of it. Impeding runners should be penalized by a holding penalty or personal foul.
The Helmet Debate
Due to the lack of protective equipment, the helmet issue in girls’ flag football must be addressed because of the risk of head trauma. A few girls’ programs have already voluntarily outfitted their players with the flag football-style helmet. The answer is certainly not a fashion statement but safety should be the key factor for all players.
Taking the Flag out of Flag Football
The flag usage could be replaced by simply touching the carrier to end each play, but that is more of a suggestion than a recommendation. This change would take the “flag” out of flag football, but it is a much safer alternative.
While various states debate approval of the sport, Florida continues to take the lead in both number of participants, organization and the quality of play. In particular, the high schools in and around Hillsborough and Dade counties have been particularly successful. All eight of the last eight state championships (and runners-up) included flag football teams from the Tampa and Miami areas.
As a state administrator considering flag football, I would certainly recommend an examination of the organization, logistics, rules, and operation as provided by the very successful FHSAA leadership in girls’ flag football. For girls and women, the future is certainly “flag.”
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