Girls flag football on display once again

The Steelers continued their support of youth sports in the Pittsburgh area when they hosted their fourth free Girls Flag Football Jamboree.

Over 100 girls, grades 7-12, took part in the instructional event at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, the same facility used by the team.

The afternoon combined drill stations, skill development and breakout flag football games to give the players the knowledge they need to continue on their flag football journeys with their schools and teams.

“It’s awesome to see how girl’s flag football has taken off,” said Mike Marchinsky, the Steelers senior manager of marketing events. “We’ve done two-day football camps since 2009, and there have always been girls coming to the camps, but they were vastly outnumbered by the boys that were in those camps. But the girls that were there were just as talented as the boys when they’re running and catching and throwing. So, I always knew there was a big interest in having girls only camps and girls’ football. There were girls playing in flag programs in the communities around Western Pennsylvania and all over the state.

“Now that there’s a more concerted effort to give them an elevated opportunity, it’s very fulfilling because, I’m a girl dad, too. To see it have such a big impact on people is really special.”