University of Montana First College to Launch Competitive Women’s Flag Football Team
✨ Coach, Parents & Player Tips
Coach’s Clipboard: Make every cone we set up double as a balance pole—after your players weave through it, have them pause on one leg for three seconds before exploding to the next, sneaking in ankle stability and core strength between speed reps.
Postgame Parents: While the shower’s warming up, have your kid drop into a 20-second side-plank on each side—those stealthy core blasts lock in lateral strength for sharper cuts (and the early wobble makes for comedy gold!).
Players Snap: After every practice, form a “mic-drop circle” where each player spits one raw line on what they saw and who owned it—no sugarcoating, just respect (and maybe a roast or two).
🔎 Feature Story
🏅 UM is the first Montana college to start a women’s flag football team
The University of Montana will become the first state college to launch a competitive women’s flag football club, aiming to build on rising high school participation and secure an early foothold ahead of the sport’s 2028 Olympic debut. With talks underway to schedule games against in-state rivals and distant programs, UM is positioning itself as a pioneering hub for women’s flag football in Montana.
“There’s really no options in the area, so we wanted to be the pioneer and the first in our area to launch it.”
🌍 Regional Roundup
Griffin, Georgia: The Griffin-Spalding County School System launched its first middle school girls’ flag football season, fully funded by the Arthur M. Blank Foundation Family grant, with Kennedy Road Middle School defeating Carver Road Middle 8-0 in the championship. The three-year grant will also support new boys’ and girls’ soccer programs to boost female athlete participation.
🔗 Read More
Gainesville, Florida: The Florida High School Athletic Association has partnered with Nike as its Official Athletic Apparel Partner, introducing brand activations at all championships and establishing the Nike MVP Award for Girls Flag Football to recognize top female athletes. This collaboration aims to enhance inclusivity and elevate the high school sports experience statewide.
🔗 Read More
Cape, Delaware: Cape’s unified flag football team upset defending champion Indian River 52-44 in the DIAA tournament semifinal, marking its first victory over IR and securing a spot in the state championship against Caesar Rodney on Nov. 28. The program’s growth reflects increasing support for inclusive athletics at the high school level.
🔗 Read More
Augusta, Georgia: Washington-Wilkes captured the Division 1 Area 6 girls’ flag football title in its inaugural season, using an Arthur M. Blank Foundation grant, while Greenbrier Wolfpack claimed its third straight Division 2 Area 1 crown under new head coach James Smith. Both programs advance to their first-ever playoff games on December 4.
🔗 Read More
⭐ Player Spotlight
AnnaSophia Dickens – Wide Receiver, USA Football 15U Women’s Flag Team. At just 15, Dickens shines as a key playmaker for the #1 USA 15U Women’s Flag Team and as the author of We Run This House, inspiring a new generation of girls to embrace the sport.
“When the ball’s coming, everything else disappears,” she said.
📈 Flag Growth Focus
🔥 Griffin-Spalding Launch
Kennedy Road Middle School claimed the Griffin-Spalding County’s inaugural middle school girls’ flag football title, backed by a three-year Arthur M. Blank Foundation grant in partnership with the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United. The grant covered equipment and spectator admission, while district leaders say the program boosts confidence, athletic IQ and lays groundwork for future high school teams.
🔗 Read More
🏈 Florida Partnership
The Florida High School Athletic Association has partnered with Nike as its Official Athletic Apparel Partner, extending branding to all FHSAA championship events and providing dedicated support for girls’ flag football. The alliance includes a Nike-presented MVP Award at girls’ flag football and sponsorship of National Girls & Women in Sports Day, reinforcing inclusive growth across 800+ member schools.
🔗 Read More
🔥 Georgia Firsts & Titles
Washington-Wilkes High School launched its first girls’ flag football team this fall with support from an Arthur M. Blank Foundation grant, posting a 15–4 record, winning the Division I Area 6 crown and hosting its first playoff game. Nearby Greenbrier High secured its third straight Division II Area 1 title, illustrating the expanding competitive infrastructure and investment in Georgia flag football.
🔗 Read More
⚡ FlagSnap Daily Blitz
Kennedy Road Middle School claimed the inaugural Griffin-Spalding County middle school girls’ flag football title with an 8–0 win over Carver Road, backed by full funding from an Arthur M. Blank Foundation grant.
👉 Read Full Article
Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey threw his hat in the ring for a spot on Team USA’s first Olympic flag football team ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
👉 Read Full Article
The Florida High School Athletic Association announced Nike as its Official Athletic Apparel Partner, which will present the Girls Flag Football MVP Award and sponsor National Girls & Women in Sports Day to boost female participation.
👉 Read Full Article
No. 5 Cape’s unified flag football squad rallied from 44–28 down to defeat defending champion Indian River 52–44 in the state semifinal, securing its first berth in the DIAA title game.
👉 Read Full Article
First-year Georgia program Washington-Wilkes shut out its Division I Area 6 opponent 13–0 for the title, while Greenbrier repeated as Division II Area 1 champion by the same score, underlining the sport’s rapid state-wide growth.
👉 Read Full Article
Athens High’s Keahla Jackson and Avery Foster became the school’s first flag football scholarship signees, earning a full ride to UNA and a spot at Calhoun CC respectively after a standout inaugural season.
👉 Read Full Article
USA TODAY Sports’ Week 12 Super 25 girls flag football rankings kept Chandler’s Hamilton at No. 1, dropped Marana to 20th after its first loss, and vaulted St. Anne-Pacelli into the top 10 following Southeast Bulloch’s upset.
👉 Read Full Article
Field-level photos from the 6A Arizona semifinals at Campo Verde High spotlighted standout plays by Highland’s Aylleen Murillo and Red Mountain’s Cadence McCanless in a tight playoff showdown.
👉 Read Full Article
The 2025 All-Continental League first team in Aurora honored Regis Jesuit’s Mayte Barnes and Jasmine Lugo, named Mountain Vista’s Ariana Akey Offensive Player of the Year, and Douglas County’s Maria Dykalenko Defensive Player of the Year.
👉 Read Full Article
Grandview’s Abby Kirkpatrick, Brooke Sullivan and K’Dence Thomas led the 2025 All-Centennial League first-team offense while Overland’s Sahniya Vaughn anchored the first-team defense.
👉 Read Full Article
🏁 Final Whistle
“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”
— Phil Jackson
