The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Affiliation has change into the most recent governing physique within the nation to approve women’ flag soccer as a sanctioned highschool sport, based on PIAA.
The game was accepted after its proposal met particular necessities set forth by the PIAA. Its board of administrators decided the necessities have been met and voted Wednesday so as to add the game subsequent yr for ladies.
One of many qualifiers was to have at the least 100 taking part groups throughout the state.
The PIAA said in its launch that 65 faculties from the japanese facet and 36 from the western was sufficient to maneuver ahead. The edge was reached earlier this yr in April.
“We’re thrilled that we are able to provide one other alternative for ladies to take part interscholastic athletics,” PIAA President Frank Majikes mentioned in a press release. “That is the second women’ sport in two years to be accepted. In recognizing the Nationwide Federation of Excessive College Associations (NFHS), we can be initiating growth of a women’ flag soccer guidelines e-book in January 2025. It will enable us to develop our course of to host a championship. The structural adjustments to the game gained’t start till the 2025-26 college yr.”
The Eagles and Steelers have been working behind-the-scenes for the previous three flag seasons growing preliminary leagues to get this system off the bottom. Among the many choices they’ve equipped embrace training, engagement, distribution of kit, and sources, the PIAA famous.
“This isn’t simply an essential day for the Eagles and Steelers, however for the game of soccer and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Chairman & CEO of the Philadelphia Eagles Jeffrey Lurie mentioned. “After we launched our women’ flag soccer league in 2022, we set an bold five-year aim to get the game sanctioned in our state. Now, right here we’re three seasons later and two years forward of schedule. The game’s natural development is a credit score to the individuals, directors, coaches, officers, and oldsters who helped increase the profile of ladies’ flag soccer.”
Pittsburg Steelers President Artwork Rooney, II referred to as it a “groundbreaking second.
“It has been nice working with the Eagles to perform a profitable ruling that may now give younger women the possibility to compete at a state stage,” he mentioned. “We sit up for seeing how women’ flag soccer continues to develop in Pennsylvania and worldwide.”
“Launched within the Spring of 2022, the Eagles Ladies’ Flag League started with 16 faculties from the Philadelphia Public and Catholic Leagues. This system then expanded to 38 groups in 2023 after which to 65 in 2024. Of these taking part groups, the Philadelphia Public and Catholic Leagues have made women’ flag an official sport inside their leagues – designating their very own league chairs and internet hosting their very own championships. The Eagles Ladies’ Flag League has greater than 1,600 women enjoying all through the japanese facet of Pennsylvania.
The Eagles’ help for ladies’ flag soccer has additionally included the facilitation of learn-to-play, teaching, and officiating clinics, a women’ flag sports activities efficiency mix, women’ flag jamborees, and the ladies’ flag championships, which have been hosted on the NovaCare Complicated and Lincoln Monetary Discipline.
As a part of their ongoing dedication to extend entry to women’ youth sports activities, the Eagles partnered with Operation Heat to launch an progressive new sports activities bra line – FLY:FWD – designed particularly for younger women and girls competing in sport.
The initiative kicked off with the distribution of 30,000 FLY:FWD sports activities bras to women in want throughout the Better Philadelphia space.
The Steelers Ladies’ Flag Soccer League started in 2022 with six faculties. The primary championship recreation was held at Acrisure Stadium. That yr, the crew hosted their first Steelers Flag Jamboree – a free camp for ladies in grades 7- 12 who’re taken with studying extra about enjoying flag soccer.
In 2023, this system grew to 17 faculties with 22 groups. The group applied “Steelers Showcase Sport of the Week,” the place present Steelers gamers attend women’ flag soccer video games to indicate their help for the groups and spotlight recreation changers inside the league. Forward of the 2023 season, the crew hosted a particular uniform unveiling at Acrisure Stadium. The uniforms have been hung within the Steelers locker room with particular lighting to make it a one-of-a-kind expertise for the individuals. This yr’s championship recreation was held at Carnegie Mellon College.
This yr, this system grew to 36 excessive faculties, with the Steelers internet hosting a women’ flag teaching clinic and school showcase. The “Steelers Showcase Sport of the Week” and Steelers Flag Jamborees are nonetheless largely profitable occasions that proceed to focus on women’ flag soccer, giving women the chance to be taught extra in regards to the sport.”
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Picture: PIAA, Eagles and Pittsburgh leagues