Georgia leaders, Falcons push for girls flag football in high schools
Girls flag football gets boost
The Atlanta Falcons, in partnership with the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, and state lawmakers, are rallying support for the expansion of girls flag football programs across Georgia.
ATLANTA - The Atlanta Falcons, in partnership with the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, and state lawmakers, are rallying support for the expansion of girls flag football programs across Georgia. The effort was celebrated Thursday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium following the adoption of House Resolution 347 by the Georgia House of Representatives—the first resolution of its kind in the country.
What we know:
House Resolution 347 urges all Georgia high schools to establish girls flag football programs, recognizing the sport’s growing popularity and its potential to expand athletic opportunities for young women. The resolution highlights the benefits of flag football in promoting teamwork, physical fitness, and leadership among female athletes.
The push to expand the sport began in 2017 when the Falcons and the Blank Foundation helped launch 19 girls flag football teams in Gwinnett County. The program’s early success led to a milestone in 2020, when Georgia became just the fourth state in the nation to officially sanction girls flag football as a high school sport through GHSA.
At Thursday’s event, current high school athletes celebrated the momentum behind the sport. Several players expressed hopes of playing flag football at the collegiate level and even trying out for the U.S. Olympic team. The sport is set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
The Falcons, GHSA, and the Blank Foundation say they remain committed to expanding access to girls flag football across every high school in the state.
What they're saying:
"Today's a monumental day. We've been starting this journey for so long. It's been about 8 years since we started way back in 2017 with just the idea of girls flag football coming to Georgia. In 2018, we made it happen with Gwinnett County with 19 schools and now we are up to over 300 schools in Georgia that are playing girls flag football," said Amanda Dinkel, Senior Director of Community Relations for Atlanta Falcons.
"When I joined, I fell in love with it instantly," McEachern High School student Dsirae Holley said.
Gabriella Soris, McEachern High School student said, "It's just like a really good environment to be in. You meet a lot of people. Make great friends."
Girls talk about flag football
Flag football is the fastest growing youth sport in the country and it has really taken off in Georgia since the Altanta Falcons helped launch the first teams in 2018. FOX 5 Atlanta spoke to some female flag football players at Thursday's event at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
"It's incredible. We had no idea it would grow this fast, this quickly that this many girls would be so passionate and intensly focused on playing the sport we all love, football," Dinkel told FOX 5 Atlanta.
"This resolution is the first of its kind in the country urging high schools to create girls flag football programs," Rep. Cox said. "We could not have done it without Speaker Jon Burns and my House colleagues. The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and the Atlanta Falcons have also been instrumental in providing resources and grants to high schools to grow the sport."
Rich McKay, CEO of AMB Sports and Entertainment, praised the resolution and said the Falcons and the Blank Foundation are committed to expanding the sport throughout Georgia. "The exponential growth of girls flag football over the past several years has been remarkable," McKay said. "Our goal is for every high school in Georgia to offer flag football as a varsity sport."