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a $15,000 stipend from the NFL to aid in the on-boarding process of the sport. One of those schools that received funding was Florida Memorial University, which is located in Miami Gardens, FL. "Adding women's flag football to the list of sports that we offer here at Florida Memorial University means that the amount of lives that we get to impact as an institution of higher education grows," says Florida Memorial AD Ernest Jones. "More young women will have the opportunity to pursue their academic and athletic goals and potentially change their lives and their families' lives. We look forward to building a (women's) flag football program that follows in the footsteps of all our other sports programs — one that chases academic excellence and championships." Kansas Wesleyan was one of the first in- stitutions to announce that it would begin a women's flag program, a distinction that director of athletics Steve Wilson is under- standably proud of. "rough everything we have experienced in collegiate athletics the last few months, being able to be on the front end of some- thing so special for women's sports and the NAIA, as a whole, has been a welcome relief," he says. "I firmly believe women's flag football will be an extremely high-profile offering and we are excited to be able to help shape the initial steps of the sport within our organization. Working with the NFL is icing on the cake. ere are just so many bright aspects of this sport's future." In May 2021 and May 2022, the NAIA conducted its NAIA Women's Flag Finals Weekend, which allowed the NAIA to crown a national champion during its time as an "emerging" sport. e winner in 2021 was Ottawa University from Kansas and in 2022 omas University from Georgia took home the trophy. e NAIA Women's Flag Finals in 2021 and 2022 were played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The NFL Gets The Flag NFL Promotional Efforts. e NFL launched its Super Bowl 2023 campaign with "Run With It," an action-packed commercial spotlighting flag football and the critical role women are playing in growing the sport. e spot features international flag football star Diana Flores, the quarterback of the 2022 World Games gold medal-winning Mexico Women's Flag Football National Team. J-E-T-S….Jets, Jets, Jets. e third season of the New York Jets X Nike High School Girls Flag Football League kicked off in early April. roughout April and May, more than 100 high schools and more than 1500 athletes throughout New Jersey, Long Island and New York's Hudson Valley are competing to reach the championship games hosted at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Seahawks Give Back. e Seattle Seahawks are big supporters of high school girls' flag football in Washington. e club is providing $57,000 to help underwrite the launch of girls' flag football teams to 15 high school teams from six local school districts. In addition to the cash grants from the Seahawks, those 15 schools will also receive an official NFL Flag Football equipment kit thanks to USA Football, plus sets of home and away Nike uniforms. e latest grants are part of the Seahawks' 2022 commitment of $250,000 in funding over the next five years that will support the creation of high school girls' flag football programs in the state of Washington. February Flag Football in Florida. On President's Day this year the Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Jags Preseason 2023 Classic, which attracted nearly 30 girls' high school flag football programs. is quasi-jamboree was played on the Jaguars' home field at TIAA Bank Field. e players and coaches were welcomed by Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson, whose message was filled with some advice about the importance of player safety and nutrition. n teaminsightmag.com May/June 2023 ~ Team Insight • 25 ON FLORIDA FLAG FOOTBALL • The powerhouse program of high school flag football in Florida is Tampa's Robinson High School, which has won seven FHSAA Class 1A state championships. • In the FHSAA's Class 2A divi- sion, Seminole Ridge High School (Loxahatchee) has captured five FHSAA state championships. • Other schools that have won mul- tiple state titles in girls high school flag football in Florida are Leon High School (Tallahassee) in 2007 and 2008 and Alonso High School (Tampa) in 2018 and 2019. ® A Better Way To Play www.ProNine.com 440-349-3500

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