What’s one of the fastest growing sports in high schools and colleges — and will debut at the 2028 Olympics?
Hint: It’s not pickleball.
The answer: girls and women’s flag football.
With a boost from the NFL, it’s taking off everywhere.
Including Westport.
Last spring, Peak Performance ran clinics here. Interest was high, so in the fall the PAL offered its own program.
One group of excited flag football players …
IST’s Cash Malcolm and Cody Simpson taught skills and strategies. Parents helped run Saturday scrimmages.
The season ended with a jamboree, against teams from Wilton (with players from Fairfield and New Canaan).
… with more friends …
On Monday, PAL’s spring program kicked — well, touched — off.
Clinics — once again run by Cash and Cody, for 1st through 8th graders — are held every Monday, from 4:15 to 5:45 p.m. at Greens Farms Elementary School.
Games and scrimmages are Sundays (9:30 to 11 a.m., Wakeman Field A). Parents will again help coach. Players are divided into 4 groups: grades 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 and 7-8.
The emphasis is on fun. All levels are welcome.
… and a younger group.
Many of the girls play other sports. But flag football is a great addition. They love running, throwing and catching with their friends. They’re all learning together.
The cost for the season is $150, and includes an NFL jersey and flag set that each girl can keep.
Flag football action last fall.
In the works: a high school jamboree with 10 or more other towns. Funding may come from the New York Giants and/or New England Patriots. The NFL supports girls flag football, big time.
Want proof? Check out the fan-tastic video below — the first ad after the Super Bowl LIX halftime show.
Click here to register. Questions? Want to help coach? Email westportpalfootball@gmail.com, or melissa.p.post@gmail.com.
I seem to recall that “powderpuff” football was a thing back when I was at Staples. I think they even got a page in the yearbook in ’75 and I knew some of the girls who played.
I wanted to play in the powderpuff game back in ‘69 (I wasn’t good enough to make the boy’s team) but they wouldn’t let me because I was a guy. Life was so unfair back then.
Powderpuff football which is basically “flag football” was big with the ladies in ’66 and now they play it that way in the Pro Bowl to avoid injuries. What is the Dr. Gundry advertisement doing on there? He is the “Leaky Gut” guru.
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