ROBBINSVILLE — Girls flag football took another step Wednesday on what appears to be an inevitable path to becoming a full-fledged varsity sport.
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association approved a two-year girls flag football pilot program for 2024 and 2025.
The program gives the NJSIAA, which governs most New Jersey high school sports, time to study flag football’s impact on other sports as well as determine its own regulations and structure, such as the logistics of a state tournament. NJSIAA Executive Director Colleen Maguire said the National Federation of State High School Associations is currently writing flag football rules.
“This sport is on the horizon,” Maguire said. “It’s evolving.”
Girls flag football is played in the spring. It’s quickly become popular the past two seasons in New Jersey due in large part to the support of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Jets and Giants. Maguire said 83 flag football teams and more than 2,000 girls participated in New Jersey last spring.
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“We anticipate these numbers are going to grow,” Maguire said.
The West Jersey Girls Flag Football League featured 14 teams last spring, including Mainland Regional, Oakcrest, Absegami, Hammonton, Middle Township, Cedar Creek and Ocean City.
New Jersey flag football features 7-on-7 competitions. There are many different rules and dynamics with flag football. For example, each game is 48 minutes, or two halves of 24, the fields are shorter in both length and width than a traditional football field, and kickoffs and fair catches are altered.
Contact is not allowed, and penalties are added, like for flag guarding or if a player removes a flag before the offensive player touches the ball. Players running with the ball are not allowed to dive for extra yardage. After a touchdown, a team can go for one, two or three points.
New Jersey flag football is currently considered a “club sport.” That means girls can play other spring sports, such as softball and lacrosse, and still participate in flag football. When and if the NJSIAA recognizes flag football as an official varsity sport, that will no longer be the case.
Flag football will still be a club sport during the pilot program.
“We’re not going to step in and change anything right now,” Maguire said. “That’s why we’re going to go slow and steady and see the impact of this.”
GALLERY: Hammonton vs. Absegami in flag football
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
There are many different rules and dynamics with flag football. For example, each game is 48 minutes, or two halves of 24, the fields are shorter in both length and width, and kickoffs and fair catches are altered.
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami .
Hammonton quarterback Giada Palmieri runs downfield Friday during a flag football game against Absegami.
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami . Hammonton #10 Brianna Gazzara receiving a pass.
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami . Hammonton #10 Brianna Gazzara gets tackleld by Absegami #21 Averie Wiedeman.
Absegami’s Reese Downey, left, picks up yardage during a flag football game against Hammonton on March 31.
Absegami’s Gianna Baldino, left, tries to outrun Hammonton during a flag football game Friday at Hammonton.
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami . Hammonton #22 Reilyn Carr puts the first points on the board with a run into the endzone.
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami . Hammonton QB #17 Giada Palmieri tackled by Absegami #4 Savannah Neff.
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami . Absegami #22 Reese Downey with a reception.
On March 31, 2023, in Hammonton, the new WJFL girls flag football league held a match with Hammonton competing against Absegami . Absegami #12 Analise Myles with a first down catch.
Schaffer
Hammonton co-head coach Tami Schaffer instructs her offensive line. “I think it’s a great opportunity for girls,” Schaffer said of flag football. “They’re coming together as a team. And it’s really enjoyable teaching them and making history.”
