The Icebox is smiling somewhere… girls flag football comes to PA

[jr/shotglass]

I like it because it’s not a sport of privilege.

You want to start, or even make, the high school girls basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball, lacrosse, field hockey, swim, gymnastics teams? You need to have played travel… for years.

This? I don’t see this sport turning into that. Sure, you can play travel for it, but you’re not beating out the more athletic kid who doesn’t have thousands of disposable income in their family budget.

Somewhat the same point I made, but I'm coming from a different direction with it.

Athletes are a subset of the female student population. And with few exceptions, those young ladies have been playing travel for years and will either burn out on sports or follow through with it. I don't think what's left makes for much of a player pool for flag football. Maybe if you're a mega-school.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Do they play soccer in the spring in Texas and Florida?

Florida plays soccer in the winter.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

Texas soccer is more of a winter-spring sport. Season starts right after New Year’s Day and ends in late March. Playoffs run until the middle of April.

 

[HanSenSE]

Somewhat the same point I made, but I'm coming from a different direction with it.

Athletes are a subset of the female student population. And with few exceptions, those young ladies have been playing travel for years and will either burn out on sports or follow through with it. I don't think what's left makes for much of a player pool for flag football. Maybe if you're a mega-school.

I think it can also be a sport that's a "breather" for some girls wanting a break from a summer of travel ball in other sports, like water polo was in the last place I worked full-time in the business. Work some different muscle groups and expands social circles beyond the diamond or court. When we launched all-county teams, we had girls who doubled in other sports along with those who were dedicated water polo players/swimmers. Heck, we even had a couple who were in water polo as well as cheerleading, including an MVP.

 

[Batman]

Mississippi's private school league has girls soccer, softball, volleyball, swimming and cross country in the fall, as well as cheerleading and dance teams. The only winter sport is basketball, and the only spring sports are track and golf. It makes no sense.
One of our schools, with a student population of probably 250 or so, tries to offer everything on the menu and has a lot of girls playing two or three sports right now. Some are doing three or even four. I have no idea how they balance that and manage any kind of schoolwork.
If they try to add flag football in the fall, you might have ADs marching on the association's offices with torches and pitchforks.

The public school association is more balanced with the seasons. Soccer is a winter sport and softball is in the spring. Volleyball has taken hold as a popular fall sport, though, and a lot of the female athletes have graduated toward it. I'm sure if/when there is enough demand they'd add flag football in some form, but I imagine it'd hurt volleyball — especially at the smaller schools — because it'd be pulling from the same limited talent pool.

Someone else also mentioned officials, which is a big logistical issue. There are football games being played somewhere Monday through Friday when you factor in middle school, ninth-grade, JV and varsity games. They're already spread thin. Trying to add another layer of games on top of that might be the breaking point.
You also start to run short of coaches and fields.
These are not insurmountable hurdles, but they are things I'm sure each state has to consider.

 

[HanSenSE]

And the best part ... we can now start costing kids scholarships!

 

[dixiehack]

Trick play from Central-Phenix City, who finished No. 1 in the country.

 

[Starman]

Lacrosse and field hockey are gonna have a existential battle to the death the same way competitive cheerleading and dance team have destroyed girls gymnastics as a competitive HS sport.