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LONG BEACH — Girls flag football is more than a three-year sport in the CIF Southern Section, section commissioner Mike West said Wednesday at the media luncheon for the upcoming championships.
“It’s a movement,” he said.
Orange County remains at the forefront of the fastest growing girls sport in California and will be represented by four teams in the finals Saturday at El Modena High.
Anaheim (Division 5), Corona del Mar (Division 2), JSerra (Division 1) and Orange Lutheran (Division 1) will play for championships as the section punctuates its second season with playoffs.
“It’s growing,” Anaheim coach Vince Gomez said of girls flag football, which has experienced an 84 percent growth in participation in California.
“It’s a quick sport. I feel like a lot of kids can adjust and learn. It’s great for everybody. Our girls are having a tremendous time.”
Last season, three of the seven O.C. teams that reached the inaugural section finals won. They were Orange Lutheran (Division 1), Northwood (Division 2) and Troy (Division 3).
Jim Perry, the past president of the CIF-SS Council, credited the players and teams at the luncheon Wednesday for helping drive a sport that will be part of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“The whole girls flag football movement is really exciting and I’m so happy that I get to be a part of it,” Corona del Mar sophomore AnnaSofia Dickens said. “Ever since the NFL and CIF opened the gates for women to play America’s favorite sport, it’s been just power-housing through the gates.”
“The girls are showing that they can play, too,” she said. “I’m so happy and blessed to be able to move the game forward too, especially since flag is be in the 2028 Olympics.”
On Saturday, Anaheim plays Castaic at 1 p.m. Corona del Mar-Westlake face off at 5 p.m. before the Trinity League rivals Orange Lutheran-JSerra clash at 7.