A $47,500 grant from the Carolina Panthers will help launch more than a dozen new flag football teams in North Carolina.
In Wake County, 19 high schools will be part of the girls flag football pilot program, WTVD-TV reported. The grant funding was accepted by the Board of Education at its meeting Nov. 21.
The grant includes money to cover game officials, coaching stipends, field prep and other game-related expenses.
Carolina Panthers team with WCPSS to bring flag football to 19 high schools https://t.co/xvLwn0lC0N
ā ABC11 EyewitnessNews (@ABC11_WTVD) November 23, 2023
"This grant will give hundreds of female students a fun and unique opportunity to reap the many benefits of participating in athletics," Deran Coe, director of athletics for the Wake County Public School System, told WTVD-TV. "Athletics promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and physical fitness, all of which can lead to better outcomes for students in high school and beyond."
Tryouts and practices will be held in January. The playing season in the pilot year will consist of three Saturday tournament-style competitions.
In 2022, the Panthers partnered with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to launch the state's first girls high school flag football program, according to the WTVD-TV report. This fall, the Panthers helped launch programs with Cabarrus County Schools and Union County Public Schools.
The Panthers are also providing each high school with 25 sets of custom-made Nike uniforms plus practice equipment.
"The Carolina Panthers are thrilled to partner with the Wake County Public School System in the creation of this pilot Girls High School Flag Football League, which will provide increased participation opportunities and access to the sport of football for high school girls in Wake County," Riley Fields, spokesperson for the Panthers, said. "Our hope is the success of the Wake County program will be a catalyst for the continued growth and participation by high schools across our region."
