On Sunday, April 27, the state’s first high school girls flag football league begins its season with 51 high schools competing on five consecutive Sundays this spring.
A year after the Minnesota Vikings piloted a four-team high school program in 2024, including a 12-game regular season and a championship game at the team’s Eagan practice field, the NFL club this year will contribute $600,000 to support the new league and the participating high schools.
Since the idea for flag football first emerged in the 1990s, the NFL has supported NFL FLAG, the pro football league’s official flag football program, with 1,800+ leagues and 750,000 youth ages 4 to 12 across the country in all 50 states. Minneapolis Public Schools in 2022 also piloted a middle school girls flag football program, and eight other school districts also had a middle school program in 2024.
Among the basic flag football rules: Two teams of 5-8 players play on a rectangular playing field usually around 60-80 yards long and 20-30 yards wide, and 10-yard end zones. Each player wears a flag or flag belt.
Vikings Vice President of Social Impact Brett Taber said in a release, “This is an exciting time for women’s and girls’ flag football in Minnesota. Since testing the pilot league in 2024, interest in girls flag football has increased dramatically at the high school level, and to see such a high number of schools participating this year is a tremendous sign for future growth.”
During a March 30 media day, the MSR talked to several players and coaches.
“I really hope to find new friendships, get new experiences,” said Kiara Colton-Spearman, a senior at Two Rivers High School.
Said Renee Pettis, Minneapolis North parent: “I think we have a group of girls that are naturally athletic, and so they do well in any sport that they pick up. So, I’m excited to see how this season will go.”
“I’ve always wanted to play flag football, so it’s a good opportunity that it came right before I graduate,” said North’s JaShaya Simmons. “I played basketball and volleyball, and I did track.”
Richfield senior Esther Aminga said, “I joined because I knew it’s gonna be a new community, a new place for us, especially females, to live out a sport and to show who we really are as a team, and we can do what the boys can do.”
“I’m excited,” added 11th grader Jae Lang, Minneapolis Roosevelt. “I’m just excited to play a new sport. I’ve never played football before.”
Two Rivers Coach Kimber Scott pointed out, “We had over 82 girls interested in playing with us. We’ve got 50 jerseys, we got a varsity and a JV, so it’s going to be fun.”
“I didn’t think that we would have as big of a turnout as we did,” recalled Pettis. “We had a lot of girls sign up and were excited to participate. They’re excited to take on this, this next chapter, and see what they can accomplish in flag football.”
The new flag football high school league will feature doubleheaders each Sunday for four Sundays; then playoffs on Sunday, June 1; then the state championship game on Monday, June 9. All games will be played at the Vikings’ Eagan practice field.
Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.