The Kansas City Chiefs have been putting up an effort to promote and expand youth football in America, and they are starting strong in Kansas City. They have been pushing towards this goal for some time now; the Chiefs Flag Program is an emerging effort that connects parents and students to the best flag football programs around. The Chiefs hope to expand this program and have it be a safe, fun way for kids to learn fundamentals of football and wellness.
The incorporation of flag football youth programs was a big turning point for the NFL. As parents became more and more concerned about the risks of tackle football, especially the long-term effects of concussions and injuries, flag football became more popular. One of the first organized leagues was formed in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1956, which became an all-men’s league. The sport grew tremendously and was eventually made a professional sport in 1994, with the first game being played between Princeton and Rutgers.
Although the passion for the sport was great, women were not allowed to play until 1974, when the United States Flag Football Association (USFFA) sanctioned an all-women’s tournament in Akron and Cleveland, Ohio. As women became dominant in the sport, the NorthEast Women’s Football League (NEWFL) was formed and is the oldest and largest league of women flag football players today.
The International Women’s Flag Football Association (IWFFA) has been very active in spreading the love and passion of football throughout multiple countries. This spring, STA has adopted a program and incorporated our very own flag football team here. With over 60 students interested, the first season will consist of a JV and varsity team coached by Isabel Burnett, Nate Riley and Kiera Hardy. Hardy shares some hopes for the program’s first year.
“I want to teach the game of football, especially flags,” Hardy said. “Specifically, I want the kids to have a lot of fun. I want it to be something that they can look forward to coming to and doing. I think that interest will build into a lot of competitiveness and ultimately build on that. This first season I want us to just have a lot of fun and enjoy it and see what it potentially will be here at STA.”
Hardy has her own experience with the game as well.
“This will be my first year coaching flag football,” Hardy said. “I have played for about three or four seasons on a co-ed team and I played in the league in Kansas and then just recently at KC Crew.”
The inclusion of this sport brings more opportunity to STA students and has the potential to become a growing team here.
“I want it [flag football] to continue at STA,” Hardy said. “I think it’s a great sport, and having female athletes participate in a sport that they haven’t been able to, I think it’s groundbreaking. I think and hope that they run with it here at STA and I think we’re going to do a lot of great things. I just want, in the end game, for them to have the opportunity to play any sports that they can.”