Falcons expand support for girls sports with 16,000 sports bras across Georgia

ATLANTA - The Atlanta Falcons Youth Fund is intensifying its push to remove barriers for girls’ participation in sports, announcing a new partnership Tuesday with the national nonprofit Operation Warm.

As part of its FLY:FWD initiative, the fund will distribute 16,000 sports bras to schools and community organizations in 38 Georgia counties — a measure aimed at helping girls feel confident and supported while playing.

What is the FLY:FWD initiative?

What we know:

The program kicks into high gear on Tuesday when FLY:FWD, the Falcons cheerleaders and team mascot Freddie Falcon distributee sports bras and provide programming at the Warren Boys & Girls Club in southeast Atlanta. 

The event is one of many led by the Falcons as they work to advance girls flag football in Georgia and beyond.

30,000 sports bras

What they're saying:

"This is the second year of our partnership with the Atlanta Falcons," said Gina Reid, director of program implementation at Operation Warm. "As part of that partnership, they distributed over 30,000 sports bras to girls in Georgia, which is really amazing. That’s ensuring that those girls all have the opportunity to pursue whatever it is that makes them excited, and that they are happy and active and healthy."

Reid said the program is designed to help girls in underserved communities feel comfortable and empowered to take part in athletics. "We are here today ensuring that the girls that are here at the Warren Boys & Girls can leave here comfortable and confident and feeling empowered that they can participate in any activity that they want," the director said.

According to the organization, girls are twice as likely as boys to drop out of sports, and in under-resourced communities, that number can be six times higher.

Falcons cheerleader AFC McKenzie said being part of the giveaway was deeply meaningful. "I think it’s important because you just never want to take for granted the access that you have to sports," she said. "Sometimes it’s not necessarily the accessibility or a lack of interest, but it’s just like resources. So it’s really influential that we’re here today and able to kind of show what you can accomplish through sports and just uplift them and encourage them."

McKenzie added that the event was about representation as much as it was about equipment. "It’s extremely powerful and impactful," she said. "They can see themselves in some of the photos here with me today. We want them to be able to say, ‘Oh, she’s doing it, so I can do that as well.’"

She also noted how something as simple as proper athletic wear can make a big difference. "You can tell the difference in a sports bra with the support that it provides," McKenzie said. "It’s really empowering. You want to have that support and that confidence, and not be self-conscious — that shouldn’t hinder you from participating in things that you love."

Falcons and flag football

Timeline:

The initiative builds on years of sustained involvement by the Falcons and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, which in 2024 provided grant funding via FLY:FWD for 15,000 sports bras, distributed to girls flag football athletes across more than 300 schools in Georgia, Alabama and Montana.

In Georgia, the Falcons have been a driving force behind the expansion of girls flag football. The team started a pilot program in 2018 with 19 high schools in Gwinnett County, helping lead Georgia to become the fourth state in the country to sanction girls flag football as a high school sport in 2020.

By 2024, more than 7,000 girls were playing flag football in over 270 Georgia high schools.

Earlier in 2025, the Blank Foundation awarded grants to 304 Georgia high schools to launch or expand girls flag football programs; 45 of those will begin new programs this fall.

The Falcons also support infrastructure and safety improvements. In late 2024, they announced new grants for high schools to begin or strengthen flag programs, and awarded Guardian Caps — soft-shell helmet covers aimed at reducing head-impact forces — to select tackle football teams. 

The Falcons also host an annual Girls Flag Football Showcase at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, enabling high school athletes to display their skills in front of college coaches from NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA programs. In 2025, more than 200 girls participated.

These efforts aim to broaden the pipeline for female athletes in flag football, increasing opportunities for scholarships and exposure.

In 2025, the Georgia House of Representatives passed House Resolution 347, a bipartisan measure urging all high schools in the state to establish girls flag football teams. It is the first such resolution of its kind in the U.S.

Future of ladies' sports in Georgia

Why you should care:

For many girls, the lack of sports-appropriate undergarments has been a real obstacle to participation. By distributing sports bras in partnership with community organizations, the Falcons hope to reduce one of those tangible barriers — in effect, saying that if girls want to play, the support should follow.

At the Warren Boys & Girls Club event, participants can expect not only gear but also programming — likely clinics, motivational messages, and engagement that reinforce the Falcons’ broader mission: to increase physical activity among youth and especially those who might otherwise fall out of organized sports.

If past trends hold, Georgia’s trajectory in girls flag football will continue upward. With deep institutional support, rising participation, and removal of practical barriers, the Falcons are betting that more girls will take the field — not just in high school, but beyond.

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