The Colts Flag Football League is the latest major development for the growing sport.
Flag football continues to trend upward, and a significant development toward the impressive rise occurred on Wednesday when the Indianapolis Colts announced the launch of the official Colts Flag Football League.
The new statewide network aims to grow flag football in Indiana by helping to connect parents and athletes to the NFL FLAG-sanctioned programs in the area.
Working alongside RCX Sports, the inaugural operations will include eight leagues and one developing league.
Elkhart Flag Football (Ind.)
Ft. Wayne East Flag Football (New Haven, Ind.)
Ft. Wayne West Flag Football (Ind.)
Indy South Flag Football (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Pike/Indy West Flag Football (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Noblesville Flag Football (Ind.)
Louisville Flag Football (Ky.)
First Baptist Athletics (Indianapolis, Ind.)
YMCA of Greater Indianapolis (Ind.)
The sport continues to grow, from the youth levels to high school, partly due to efforts like the Colts organization over the past few years.
“Football brings people from all walks of life together for a common goal and teaches skills like teamwork, discipline and confidence that are important to success in life,” said Kalen Jackson, Colts Vice Chair and Owner, in a statement. “The Colts Flag Football League will provide kids a safe and fun way to learn the fundamentals of the game and help bring the sport to even more young people across our state.”
Jackson also added: “We’re especially excited about the new opportunities flag football offers for girls to learn and play the sport, which only will help grow the game in Indiana and beyond.”
Girls flag football at the Indiana high school level is currently in a pilot program phase, which is bringing the possibility of officially sanctioning the sport and joining the growing list of states—such as Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, New York, Arizona, Illinois, and California, to name a few—a much closer reality.
The move sees Colorado become the eleventh state to approve flag football as a high school sport for girls.
“Thrilled doesn’t even begin to cover it,” CHSAA Commissioner Mike Krueger said about the decision to approve flag football for girls as a high school sport.
“This isn’t just about the game; it’s about empowerment, teamwork and breaking barriers. By embracing this sport, we’re not only fostering athleticism, but we’re remaining among the nation’s leaders in providing opportunities for female athletes to participate. We are cultivating leadership, confidence and equality – on and off the field – and we are igniting a new era of inclusivity and self-empowerment for every young lady that participates.”
The decision was praised across the state, including by the Denver Broncos. The NFL team has been very active in the community by their promoting flag football for girls.
“In addition to providing an amazing platform for empowerment, inclusion & teamwork, girls flag creates a powerful sense of belonging & community for our next generation of leaders.”
Broncos Owner Carrie Walton Penner on Colorado sanctioning girls flag football as a HS sport: pic.twitter.com/q7sesln9WC
Flag football has been a headliner among growing sports over the past several years, a positive trend in offering girls the opportunity to play the game at the high school level. And the trend isn’t slowing, with more states adding it to the list of officially sanctioned high school sports.
As of 2024, 28 of the 50 states have kicked off girls flag football, whether as a full-fledged competition or pilot program, and more are certainly on the way.
The HSSA is the country’s largest high school athletic recognition program, with 20 regional programs and one national awards program that honors athletic achievement. Part of that spotlight includes the talented flag football athletes, the trailblazers who are turning heads on the field.
Here is the 2024 watchlist for the HSSA Flag Football Player of the Year (so far).
(Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun)
Maycie Bassett — JR, ATH/LB | Canyon View High School | Waddell, Arizona
Samyah Berry — SR, RB/LB | Tri-Cities High School | East Point, Georiga
Angelina Briano — SR, QB | Roosevelt High School | Eastvale, California
Cameron Brock — JR, QB | South Forsyth High School | Cumming, Georgia
Nichelle Brown — JR, WR/DB | Bradford High School | Starke, Florida
Camille Candidate — JR, ATH/LB | Edison High School | Miami, Florida
Ella Casey — SR, ATH | Pompano Beach High School | Pompano Beach, Florida
Taylor Clark — SR, ATH | Mountain View High School | Lawrenceville , Georgia
Madison Coger — JR, WR/DB | Campo Verde High School | Gilbert, Arizona
Lahela Cornett — SR, WR | Lincoln Park Academy | Fort Pierce, Florida
Emma Corr — JR, ATH | New Smyrna Beach High School | New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Layla Crawford — JR, LB | Lennard High School | Ruskin, Florida
Kelis Durham — JR, WR | Miami Killian Senior High School | Miami, Florida
Abby Elwell — SR, ATH | Lennard High School | Ruskin, Florida
Julia Geis — SR, QB | Blessed Trinity High School | Roswell, Georgia
Liani Gill — JR, ATH | Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches | West Palm Beach, Florida
Morgan Grace — SR, DB | Chocawhatchee High School | Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Arnayshia Griffin — SO, QB | Bradford High School | Starke, Florida
Sanaa Growe — SR, ATH/WR | East Coweta High School | Sharpsburgh, Gerogia
Trinity Hall — JR, WR/DB | Auburndale High School | Auburndale, Florida
Ki’ona Hatley — JR, | Liberty High School | Henderson, Nevada
Samiyah Hopkins — SR, RB | Bellflower High School | Bellflower, California
London Jenkins — SR, WR | Fleming Island High School | Fleming Island, Florida
Katelyn Jewell — JR, QB | Canyon View High School | Waddell, Arizona
Samerria Johnson — JR, DB | Deerfield Beach High School | Deerfield Beach, Florida
Madilyn Lam — SO, QB | Esperanza High School | Anaheim, California
Taimane Laolagi-Aloy — SR, | Chapparral High School | Las Vegas, Nevada
Ava Liaga — FR, WR/DB | Corona High School | Corona, California
Nadja Long — JR, LB/ATH | Osborne High School | Marietta, Georgia
Katie Meneses — SR, QB | Rosary Academy | Fullerton, California
Trystin Mitchell — JR, WR/ATH | Liberty High School | Henderson, Nevada
Kyla Moore — SR, QB/ATH | Shadow Ridge High School | Las Vegas, Nevada
Jaylani Palmer — SO, WR/DB | Shadow Ridge High School | Las Vegas, Nevada
Isabella Pap — SO, QB/DB | Campo Verde High School | Gilbert, Arizona
Sarah Pasquali — SR, QB/WR | Las Vegas High School | Las Vegas, Nevada
Kaylie Phillips — JR, QB | Liberty High School | Henderson, Nevada
Nandi Ramessar — SR, WR | Western High School | Davie, Florida
Halley Redd — SR, QB/LB | Basic High School | Henderson, Nevada
Jaylin Schmitt — JR, QB/WR | East Coweta High School | Sharpsburgh, Georgia
Nevaeh Shedrick — SR, RB/LB | Lithia Springs High School | Lithia Springs, Georgia
Angel Shell-Nabiau — SR, WR | Tarpon Springs High School | Tarpon Springs, Florida
Nami Singer — JR, LB/RB | Marana High School | Tuscon, Arizona
Kyleigh Sizemore — SR, QB | Long County High School | Ludowici, Georgia
Shanty Sloss — JR, RB | Atlantic High School | Port Orange, Florida
Haidyn Spano — JR, QB | Robinson High School | Tampa, Florida
Makenna Sturgis — JR, WR | Alonso High School | Tampa, Florida
Manasvi Vijayaraghavan — SR, WR | Robinson High School | Tampa, Florida
Madeline West — JR, LB | Palo Verde High School | Las Vegas, Nevada
Angelina Williams — JR, RB/ATH | Locust Grove High School | Locust Grove, Georgia
Grace Yager — JR, WR/DB | Bishop Gorman High School | Las Vegas, Nevada
From the HSSA
Nominees for both the regional and national programs are posted as they are selected. Regional nominees represent the best in their respective areas, while national nominees are recognized as the top high school athletes nationwide.
Sign up for email updates for your region or nationally to keep up with nominee selections, the awards programs and special announcements.
The girls flag football season will feature two championship games at Bryant-Denny Stadium on December 6.
While the NFL remains the most popular thing in the country, the industry’s most significant growth is in youth sports and women’s sports.
We got more evidence of that growth this week when the state of Alabama officially approved two new championship sports for high school girls: Flag Football and Wrestling, per Pat Byington at Bama Buzz.
In a statement, the Alabama High School Athletic Association Executive Director Alvin Briggs called it great news.
“This is great news for our girls’ student-athletes… growth we have seen in both sports has been amazing in a very short time.”
Seventy-six schools across the state have approved girls wrestling, and 89 are putting together girls flag football teams. The 2023 Alabama high school girls flag football season will feature two championship games at Bryant-Denny Stadium on December 6.
