The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) on Wednesday declared high school girls’ flag football an officially sanctioned sport in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. At the PIAA Board of Directors meeting Wednesday, girls’ flag football was reviewed and approved on the third and final reading to be designated as a state sanctioned sport.

A sport is considered for sanctioning when it has adopted a set of operational and safety standards set forward by a governing body. When these standards and best practices are fully implemented within the overall framework of a program, events create a more positive and structured experience for participants. In the case of girls’ flag football in Pennsylvania, it was required that there be at least 100 participating teams across the state. That threshold was achieved in April with 65 schools from the eastern side of the state (Philadelphia Eagles) and 36 from the western side (Pittsburgh Steelers).

As part of a collaborative approach to get girls’ flag football sanctioned, the Eagles and Steelers worked in tandem over the past three flag seasons to grow the game at the youth level for girls through education, engagement, distribution of equipment, and resources. In July 2023, the PIAA designated girls’ flag football as an emerging sport in Pennsylvania thanks to the efforts of both clubs. This designation served as the next step in the process of getting girls’ flag football sanctioned and ultimately becoming an official sport in Pennsylvania.