The Washington Commanders are helping unfold an exciting new era for a different kind of football by leveling up its investment in and focus on girls flag football.
"Girls flag football is taking off all over the country, and we are excited to help grow the game here in the DMV!" said Commanders Director of Youth Football Dan Levy. "We are working to support all aspects of the game to create sustainable growth through reducing the barriers to entry to play and training coaches, officials and players to play the game at the highest level."
Viewers of Super Bowl LIX may have seen the NFL's commercial for its "Flag 50" campaign -- a push to get girls flag sanctioned as a varsity sport in all fifty states. The Commanders are eager to help this effort and have taken a multifaceted approach to support the movement in their own backyard.
Girls flag is growing faster than ever. High schools across the country are embracing it, creating more opportunities for girls to compete, secure college scholarships and more. According to the official NFL Flag website, 14 states have officially sanctioned girls flag as a varsity sport others running pilot programs.
That national trend is reflected in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area, where an increasing number of schools have implemented the sport either at the varsity or club level. A number of factors can be contributed to this growth, including accessibility (minimal equipment is needed to play).
But there's another, larger force that is important to underscore as girls flag gains ground.
"Call it the 'Caitlin Clark effect,' if you will. There's probably a better term, but that's definitely a buzz term with regards to the long overdue interest and support and elevation for female athletics," said Dr. Jeff Sullivan, Director of Systemwide Athletics for Montgomery County Public Schools. "Obviously Title IX is over 50 years old, and there's plenty of important work that has happened but still there's this long overdue focus that needed to exist and is now emerging."
In recent years, girls and women's sports as a whole have ascended to heights never seen, and the explosion of girls flag is part of that story.
"It's such a fun sport. There are so many different skills that come out of it whether you're throwing the ball, catching, defending, making those hip dips and all the moves that come from it," said Lois Cook, member of the D.C. Divas and girls flag advocate in the Loudon County area. "You get a lot of growth athletically and physically. But there's also that social and emotional aspect … Leadership is a huge one, especially if it's five on five, but also seven on seven, there's a small group on that field at one time so somebody's got to make a decision, and in those clutch moments, that leadership and confidence really comes out."
Dozens of schools in Frederick and Prince George's counties and D.C. have bought into girls flag football. Montgomery County Public Schools Director of Systemwide Athletics Jeff Sullivan knew after the sport debuted in his county that it was the beginning of something special.
"The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive," Sullivan said. "We announced this [girls flag as a sport] mid-spring last year, and some of the seniors who were going to be graduating in a couple months were like, 'Man, I wish I could stay one more year.'"
Though people are clearly excited about girls flag and the benefits, the sport has faced challenges with school implementation and struggles with recognition among certain stakeholders. Currently, girls flag is at a point where the more legitimacy it can get, the better. This is where the Commanders are looking to make an impact with a specific goal of helping get the sport sanctioned by the MPSSAA, VHSL and DCSAA.
"When you're in a grassroots type of situation, you're trying to make a way out of no way," Cook said. "When you have an organization like the Commanders who can bring those resources that makes all the difference."
There are several ways for the Commanders to make a difference in girls flag. The organization is looking to put on several regional "learn to play" clinics throughout Virginia, D.C. and Maryland's Prince George's and Montgomery counties. They view it as a vital step towards spreading and laying deeper roots for the sport.
The Commanders are also dedicated to working with schools that already have girls flag, which adds excitement, inspiration and more. Alyssa Kocik, the assistant director of athletics for DCIAA, noted that the "amazing partnership with the Commanders" has had a "big impact" on DCIAA student-athletes. For example, the Commanders sent a girls flag team of DCIAA student-athletes to Big 33 last spring for the tournament's first-ever girls' flag football edition, an experience Kocik said student-athletes "still can't stop talking about."
"The Commanders and the support that they're willing to give at what seems like the drop of a hat has been really incredible," Kocik said.
Similar experiences have been vocalized by those in Montgomery County. Sullivan tipped his hat to the Commanders for being "great partners" going back to last spring. In January, the team helped put on a pep rally for the state champions from Clarksburg High School with appearances from Major Tuddy and Command Force as well as giveaways and a check presentation. The pep rally required the need for two assemblies in the gym, and reporters came out to document it all.
Another prong of the Commanders' plan to help grow girls flag centers on improving the experience of playing the sport for everyone involved. They are offering local DMV programs that demonstrate interest & commitment to the game with 25 customized uniforms from Nike and an NFL Flag Kit, which includes 50 flags and 10 footballs. (Those interested can fill out interest forms at the respective following links: **D.C.,** **Maryland** or **Virginia.** A Commanders youth football representative will reach out directly to discuss the next steps)
The team is also putting on officiating clinics and coaching clinics, which can make the difference between girls sticking with the sport.
"When you talk about uniforms; you talk about access, like field use; you talk about quality coaching; those all make such a difference in this game, in the experience of the girls who are playing this game. That's going to be the determination of if they're going to play this sport for one season or for a lifetime," Cook said.
Girls playing the sport long-term is becoming an increasingly feasible option. More and more colleges are adding flag football to their programming, and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles will feature the sport. With that in mind, the Commanders are putting on a college showcase in the DMV and are helping to host national team ID camps.
