As the sport of high school girls flag football grows, players are gaining more opportunities to play at the next level.
Holy Family University is the latest college to offer the sport and will become the first in Philadelphia to do so. Holy Family will begin play in the 2025 spring season, the school announced on July 26. The Tigers will play in the Atlantic East Conference, which announced last year that it would become the first NCAA conference to offer women’s flag football. Holy Family will join Centenary, Eastern, Immaculata, Marymount,and Neumann University.
“Women’s flag football at HFU represents our commitment to expanding athletic opportunities for our students,” said Anne Prisco, president of Holy Family. “This new sport not only enhances the diversity of our athletic programs but also strengthens our connection to the surrounding community. It fosters inclusivity and provides a platform for young women to excel both on and off the field. We are excited about the positive impact this will have on our students and the broader community.”
In South Philly, Neumann-Goretti High School, South Philadelphia High School and the Academy at Palumbo offered flag football in 2024. Palumbo made history in the spring by winning the first Public League championship as it defeated Kensington, 20-0.
Neumann-Goretti was one of 11 schools in the Catholic League that fielded teams for the first year of PCL play.
Palumbo was one of 16 original teams that began playing games in 2022. This season was the first that the Public League and others began officially sanctioning the sport and recognizing a champion. In just two years, flag football in the Philadelphia area expanded to include 65 teams from Pennsylvania and another 27 from South Jersey, spanning six different divisions and conferences.
About a half a million girls ages 6-17 were playing flag football in 2023, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations, which represented a 63-percent increase from 2019. The sport will make its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.
Holy Family, which is located at Grant and Frankford avenues in the Northeast, is the latest to jump on the fast-growing sport, although it is still seeking a head coach.
“We are excited to welcome Holy Family and continue to grow women’s flag football in the Atlantic East,” said Interim Commissioner Rebecca Mullen. “I am looking forward to starting regular season games and our second championship in the spring of 2025.”
Women’s collegiate flag football showcases seven players on a football field that is 40 yards in width by 80 yards in length. Each team moves offensively by running or passing a football, while the defense tries to “tackle” by pulling flags on the belt of the ball carrier.
Holy Family is immediately eligible for all women’s flag football conference recognition. All league schools will compete throughout the spring season with a full schedule to be determined. The top four teams will compete for the Atlantic East Conference Championship in April 2025.
“I would like to thank Dr. Prisco and the Atlantic East for their efforts in helping bring women’s flag football to HFU,” said Athletic Director Tim Hamill. “Flag football is an emerging sport that will play an important role in the continued growth of women’s athletics, and I am proud our department will be a part of that progression.”
