By Maria Dejong

Flag football, a sport mimicking that of American football minus physical contact, has risen in popularity over the past few years. Its rising appeal has resulted in the formation of leagues across the country, gym classes centering units around it and even the creation of a spirited pre-homecoming event: Powderpuff. This year at Springfield High School, the seniors defeated the juniors and added to last year’s victory over the class of 2025.

(Courtesy of Benjamin Kramer)

The origin of the sport can be traced back to the World War II era. The game was designed for soldiers as a way to keep them physically fit without exposure to the risk of injuries presented by tackle football. After the war was over and soldiers were sent home, they brought back flag football to their families and communities, where it spread into parks, school recesses and even college campuses. 

As the sport made its way around America, it gained many supporters, especially women. According to the International Women’s Flag Football Association (IWFFA), the Women’s Movement of the late ’60s and early ’70s sparked women across the country to advocate for changes in their society– changes relating to family lifestyle, business, music and sports. The sport captured the interest of women at the time due to its entertaining appeal and lower risk of serious injuries than tackle football. As a result of flag football’s rising popularity as a non-contact sport, the NFL officially created a youth flag football league in the 1990’s. 

Flag football’s popularity grew not just in America; its appeal spread internationally as well. Thanks to the IWFFA, recreational leagues in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and multiple other countries formed in the late ’90s and early 2000s. The sport bringing women together through a sense of unity is now played in over 100 countries today. Flag football’s significant popularity spike in recent years has prompted the official inclusion of the sport in the upcoming 2028 Olympics. 

The popularity has spread to our hometown of Springfield, Illinois. Talk spread around SHS last year concerning the development of a girl’s flag football team. However, the overarching debate of what season the sport would be played in factored in greatly. While fall seems the most ideal, many girls interested in joining the sport already have sports in the fall. Cross country, swimming and diving, volleyball, tennis and club sports such as soccer take place in the fall. The same problem exists later in the year, as most athletes either participate in track and field or soccer in the spring. The most logical option would be to create a winter season, but the low temperatures and unforgiving weather do not accommodate. So while flag football appears a fun and engaging sport, is there any point in incorporating it as a school sport?