UPDATE, 5:46 p.m.: Lauren Ferragonio, coach of the Sto-Rox Girls Flag Football team, was elated to hear about the PIAA’s decision.
“This truly is amazing news to hear that the PIAA has sanctioned girls flag football, said Ferragonio. “Being a woman’s pro football player for the Pittsburgh Passion for the past 12 years and counting, it’s truly an honor to be apart of this monumental moment for women’s sports. This is an opportunity I would’ve done anything for when I was a kid, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to coach! The Passion’s motto is ‘teaching life lessons through sports,’ and that’s exactly what it’s all about. My main goal as a coach is to teach my players those valuable life lessons and be a positive role model.”
ORIGINAL POST - 9/18/24, 5:49 p.m.: In a highly-anticipated decision, the PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) Board of Directors on Wednesday officially sanctioned Girls Flag Football as a high school sport. The decision comes two years after Sto-Rox formed its Girls Flag Football team with support from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
LINK: PIAA News Release on Girls Flag Football
According to a PIAA news release, Wednesday’s vote will set in motion the development of a rules book in January and the development of a hosting a championship. In order for Girls Flag Football to be sanctioned, there had to be more than 100 teams across the state, a number that was hit last Spring. Both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles helped developed teams and leagues in recent years, giving high school girls an opportunity to hit the gridiron.
Players and fans can anticipate “structural changes” to Girls Flag Football starting with the 2025-2026 school year. In the meantime, teams will continue to grow and provide entertaining flag football action statewide.
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