The Jets and Nike announced the creation of a brand-new high school girls flag football league in New Jersey in honor of National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
Eight New Jersey high schools will receive an $11,000 grant and equipment from the Jets and Nike for joining the New Jersey High School Girls Flag Football League. Each school will also receive team jerseys from Nike’s Girls Flag Football line.
The schools are East Orange Campus (East Orange, NJ), Indian Hills High School (Oakland, NJ), Irvington High School (Irvington, NJ), Malcolm X Shabazz High School (Newark, NJ), Morristown High School (Morristown, NJ), Passaic County Technical Institute (Wayne, NJ), Ramapo High School (Franklin Lakes, NJ) and William L. Dickinson High School (Jersey City, NJ).
Everyone deserves the opportunity to play the greatest game in the world.
In recognition of the 35th annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day, we're proud to introduce the New Jersey High School Girls Flag Football League.#EmpowHER | @usnikefootball pic.twitter.com/n12YVBZ4JM
— New York Jets (@nyjets) February 3, 2021
“Since our initial involvement in the launch of a girls flag football league in New York, our goal has always been to continue to provide young women in our community with the opportunity to play the sport we all know and love,” Jets President Hymie Elhai said in a statement. “We are excited to begin this new league in New Jersey, officially building on those efforts.”
The North Jersey Super Football Conference (NJSFC) and the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) also worked with the Jets and Nike to build the league.
“Although flag football isn’t a sanctioned sport in New Jersey for boys or girls, NJSIAA applauds the Jets for creating additional opportunities for female student-athletes,” COO of NJSIAA Colleen Maguire said. “NJSIAA believes kids are best served by being active and engaged, and we salute the team’s efforts.”
The Jets will also film and produce a video series with Nike that highlights the individual journeys of the players that culminate with the beginning of the league and the first annual Jets x Nike Girls Flag Invitational. The team hopes to include more New Jersey area high schools in the coming seasons.
“Our hope is to be able to continue to utilize our platform and not only share the resources with them to play, but to help inspire and encourage each girl to reach her full potential in whatever she chooses to pursue in life,” Elhai added.