If you or your child has ever wished for a safer, more accessible way to play football, a solution may be coming soon to a playing field near you. If it’s not already there, that is.
Girls flag football — a sport whose time has come.
The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) is adding girls’ flag football as an official school sport. Sixty-two high schools in the state will compete in the sport during the next two school years.
And Aaron Mares, MD, a primary care sports medicine physician with UPMC Sports Medicine, couldn’t be happier.
“Tackle football is a fun sport, but there’s much greater accessibility with flag football,” he says. “There’s empowerment, inclusion, and teamwork — all the things that make football great.”
Flag Football Basics
Flag football matches are divided into halves, and each team has four to 10 players, depending on league rules. The biggest difference between flag football and classic American football is that there’s no tackling. Instead, the goal is to pull off a “flag” or ribbon from the ball carrier’s belt.
Players don’t wear pads in flag football. The relative lack of equipment makes flag football an affordable sport.
Flag football isn’t just for teens, either. There are leagues for children, college students, and adults around the country.
Dr. Mares notes that some organizations now even award flag football scholarships to talented players. Flag football made its World Games debut in 2022 and will make its Olympics premiere in 2028, so its future is bright.
Dr. Mares, who’s also the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Head Team Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician, finds flag football’s rapid growth impressive.
“Right now, this is mainly a fun way for people to play a sport that they love,” he says. “But within a decade, there will be flag football competitions at the highest level globally.”
Safer, But Not Risk-Free
Flag football is considered a noncontact sport due to its no-tackling rule. “There’s a decreased safety risk without tackling,” Dr. Mares says. “But it’s definitely not risk-free since players do occasionally get concussions and other sports-related injuries.”
According to Dr. Mares, other common injuries occur in the lower extremities. “Just like in tackle football, we see higher rates of injuries in knees, ankles, and feet,” he says. “They can be either strains or sprains, involving both muscles and ligaments.”
Flag football players may also get shoulder injuries. “When you’re running or jumping and fall directly on your shoulder, a shoulder separation might result,” Dr. Mares explains. “Even though it’s a noncontact sport, you can still dive or go up for a ball with mild player contact and hard landings.”
Focus on Injury Prevention
As with any other sport, flag football players can take steps to prevent injuries on the football field. Dr. Mares endorses preseason strength training and conditioning. “Get into the gym, lift those weights, and build your flexibility as the best way to prevent injuries,” he says.
But just becoming a gym rat isn’t enough, either, says Dr. Mares.
“I recommend mixing things up and including running, biking, and swimming in your routine,” he explains. “The variety will elevate your level of fitness and can help prevent injuries instead of doing the same thing over and over.”
Dr. Mares encourages athletes to work on balance and proprioception, or spatial awareness of the body’s location. Here’s how he explains proprioception to patients: “If I put my hand behind my back, I can’t see it, but I still know that it’s there.”
Dr. Mares also endorses wearing proper footwear and noticing any changes in field conditions that could affect safety.
Proper coaching is also an important element of playing safely. “Having someone understand the game at a high level and techniques that will optimize your performance is great for safety,” Dr. Mares says.
You’ve Come a Long Way
In addition to playing tackle football in his youth, Dr. Mares also played in some flag football tournaments. “I remember flag football being very exciting and a really fun game,” he says. “There’s a lot of running around, and the games are high scoring.”
Dr. Mares also remembers powder-puff football as a novelty event in which women took the field just one day per year. “Now flag football is a sport like any other, and the athletes who do it can be as dedicated and serious as they want to be,” he says. “My 10-year-old daughter is so excited to get on the field and try it.”