The popularity of flag football is rising, both globally and locally. This year, Sonoma Valley High School debuted its first girls’ flag football team, promoting interest in the sport and providing more athletic opportunities for local girls.
According to the International Women’s Flag Football Association (IWFFA), flag football was first created in 1953 by physical education teacher Porter Wilson. Wilson wanted to construct a game to keep his students safe while still retaining the intensity and adrenaline of classic American football. As a result of this, he began using belts and handkerchiefs in the game, thus developing “flag” football.
Three years later, a man named John Carrigan came up with a similar concept with his military troops. This began gaining so much traction that the first organized flag football league was formed.
At this time, flag football was still considered a “male sport,” with no record of any women participating in it. Despite this, many women were intrigued, often seeing men they knew playing, or just having an interest in the game of football.
By 1971, the first women’s flag ball league was organized, the North East Women’s Football League. This league inspired many women at both a local, national, and eventually international scale. By 1995, the first international women’s flag football league was established, called the IWFFA.
This fall, Sonoma Valley High School continued the growing momentum of women’s flag football. At SVHS, football is a very popular sport. However, very rarely are there any girls on the team.
Due to this issue, many looked to flag football as a solution to this. After intensive petitioning and demand, Sonoma’s first flag football team was founded.
Many girls jumped at the opportunity for another athletic option at the high school, with the team totaling 29 players this year.
Starting this summer, training began. Sonoma’s local team had a total of 21 official games, finishing their season with a record of 2-19. Due to flag football not being available everywhere, the team often had to travel farther than the usual Vine Valley League schools.
Not only did this team create more female-oriented sports opportunities, but it also fostered personal bonds and a positive atmosphere, ultimately benefiting the school.
“I feel great. I feel like we’ve worked very hard as a beginning program, and although it might have not been the best record, I had fun making new friends,” said junior Malindi Wilkens.
Despite this, the question remained: Should SVHS keep flag football as a sport? Along with others, junior Lily Ryan shared, “I think it should continue to stay. It’s a really good learning experience and [it’s] a great opportunity for girls to get into more sports.
