The Jericho High School girls’ flag football team is excited to kick off their new season in early March.
They’re not alone in their fervor.
Since launching in Long Island in 2022 with just 16 schools, girls’ flag football has expanded dramatically. Today, over 100 high schools on Long Island and more than 200 schools statewide field teams in the High School Girls Flag Football League, backed by strong support from the New York Jets and Nike.
“I didn’t realize how big this sport really is until we started our first season,” said head coach Peter O’Malley. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm from players and parents.”
The sport’s inclusiveness fuels its surge in popularity.
Research from the National Federation of State High School Associations shows that approximately 50% of girls joining high school flag football teams are participating in a school sport for the first time.
This data is reflected in Jericho’s squad, too. O’Malley said that only about seven players from his 18-member team had played flag football before in youth leagues and at summer camps.
“The girls who had never played the sport before jumped right in, ready to learn and contribute,” O’Malley said. “They improved fast.”
Sophomore wide receiver and defensive back Logan Fuller said the inaugural season was about more than learning the rules of the game.
“For my first season of flag football, I enjoyed making special friendships with my teammates and building a new program for Jericho,” Fuller said. “I am so thankful to have made these friendships and to have been a part of the first team of Jericho Flag Football history.”
Skylar Rand, a junior wide receiver and rusher, added, “I learned that the sport is about trusting in the unseen, meaning trusting that the passes will be thrown exactly to where you will be or that a teammate will have your back in the moment it counts.”
O’Malley, who’s been coaching boys’ high school football for 10 years and teaching music for six years, said he’s enjoying learning the variations of the sport, which has major differences in scheme, preparation and pace from the tackle version, he said.
He is anticipating having 20-30 players this year, with athletes from grades 8-12.
While the league conferences were organized based on school size in the inaugural season, they will be reorganized based on teams’ experience level for the second season. Jericho will now play in conference 3, a move that could level the playing field a bit, as the team looks to improve and win more games.
Rather than dampen spirits, Jericho’s learning curve record of 1-12 last season illuminated deeper meanings and reinforced the players’ joy of being on a new team in the new league.
“Throughout the season, I learned that the most important part of being on a new team was building a foundation for future years,” Fuller said. “I learned that it’s not just about winning games or getting playing time, but making sure that our team has set important norms for years to come.”
On March 17 at 5 p.m., Jericho will host a pre-season scrimmage against East Meadow, Glen Cove and Wantagh.
Jericho’s home opener against East Rockaway is at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 20. The regular season runs until May before playoffs start.
“For our upcoming season, I’m excited to be back out on the field and work on getting our team to be the best it can be on all fronts,” said Drew Principe, a sophomore wide receiver and defensive back. “In that way, we can make a team that Jericho can be proud of and create future opportunities for girls in sports.”
