PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Continuing their commitment to girls in sports, the Philadelphia Eagles are expanding their Girls Flag Football League from 52 teams to 92.
The Philly league is increasing from 38 teams to 65, which now includes many District 1 schools. The South Jersey league is increasing from 14 teams to 27.
Schools from both public and Catholic leagues will be part of the field of play. In all, 2,300 participants are spread out across six leagues in both states.
“They’re really enjoying their time while they’re playing,” said Dan Levy, Eagles youth football and community relations manager. “They’re seeing their friends playing and they’re going to their athletic directors and saying, ‘Can we get girls flag football at our school?’ And so that part has just been so cool.”
To remove any other barriers to playing that exist, the franchise is also donating thousands of their signature FLY:FWD sports bras. Each girl gets two. In addition, each team gets an NFL flag kit, a port-a-field, custom Nike uniforms, and a $3,000 stipend.
“Last year, we provided 30,000 sports bras to girls here in the Philadelphia area,” said Levy. “This coming year, we’re going to provide another 30,000 sports bras. It’s really all to make sure that if a girl wants to play sports, they have the ability to do so, whether that’s football or anything else.”
Flag football is a seven-on-seven game played on a 40-by-80-yard field with two 10-yard end zones. Levy said it allows for every player on the field to have a dynamic role within the game.
“Everyone can go for a pass, everyone has the ability to be the game-winning receiver or the quarterback, and I think that makes it really unique,” he added.
“There are so many girls that I know that are interested in it,” said Francesca Brunkel, a footballer and junior at Archbishop Ryan High School in Philadelphia. “I know girls that have graduated that wish they could still be on the team. My freshman year, there were only 11 teams at that time. It’s just growing so rapidly and I just really enjoy it.”
Sydney Brice, an Abington High junior, has been playing for four years now, too.
“Four years later, I’ve had so many opportunities that I wouldn’t have gotten with any other sport,” she said. “I’ve met so many people from all around the country. It was honestly one of the best decisions of my life.”