Some schools will play girls flag football in the spring as a club sport.
But beginning next fall, it becomes an Arizona Interscholastic Association-sanctioned sport with the state championship game being played the same weekend as the 2A and 3A boys football championship games.
David Hines, executive director of the AIA, said Monday following the monthly Executive Board meeting that the girls flag football was approved as a sanction sport, bypassing the “emerging” sport status.
He said he anticipates between 30 and 40 schools, mostly from the Phoenix metropolitan area, playing in the fall with perhaps two games a week. He said there will be an eight-week schedule with each school playing 14 games, before the state playoffs.
“I think that this can really grow,” Hines said. “Our girls are very talented, and we want to give them every opportunity we can to show their skills. We’re excited.”
This is perfect timing with this being the 50th anniversary of Title IX, said Sister Lynn Winsor, the longtime Xavier Prep athletic dirctor, who is one of the pioneers of girls sports in Arizona high schools.
Sister Lynn said that at an interest meeting two months ago held by Xavier flag football coach Michael Patterson 130 girls showed up from Xavier.
There were two clinics with more than 50 girls at each of them. Patterson, who is involved in the NFL’s girls flag football movement, put a team together to play a practice game during halftime of an Arizona Cardinals game.
“The interest is even more huge after playing that seven-minute game at the Cardinals game,” Sister Lynn said.
There is expected to be only varsity teams to start and then see how it evolves, before going to freshman and junior varsity teams.
“I think because the NFL is very involved and they’re going to sink some money to help, that’s why they’re going to play in the fall,” Sister Lynn said. “It will give them additional publicity (by playing at the same time as boys football).”
“I think this is one of the great advantage for young women, because not every girl is going to be a beach volleyball player, or a volleyball player, or a cross country runner. Everybody knows about football. All of the sports offered by the AIA, this is another for girls to have a chance.”
