PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A new varsity sport is coming to Holy Family University in Northeast Philadelphia.
Women's flag football is exploding in popularity across the country — including here in the Delaware Valley, and Holy Family University Athletic Director Tim Hamill says they are hitting the ground running.
"We are very quick with our progression of this sport,” Hamill said. “We don't feel as though we'll struggle to field a team for this year. So we announced it, we're competing this year.”
He says the addition of the sport “just makes sense” after seeing its tremendous growth on the high school level. He says there are 65 teams in Pennsylvania and 27 in South Jersey.
The season begins in spring 2025. Hamill says they are searching for a coach, but they fully anticipate participating, competing and fielding enough players for this fall and spring.
Hamill says they hope to eventually field a roster of 15 players, and the Tigers will compete as part of the Atlantic East Conference in women's flag football.
“...It's an emerging sport and it just kind of makes sense to get in right now and join the Atlantic East and have more opportunities for female student athletes at Holy Family University,” he said.