Opinion

WOODY JOHNSON: Making flag football official gives girls a chance to catch their futures

With the 2028 Olympics ahead, girls now have a visible pathway from high school fields to the national stage

By Woody Johnson Fox News

Published June 7, 2026 7:00am EDT

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On May 4, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association made girls flag football the 35th sanctioned varsity sport in the state. The vote took a few minutes. The work behind it took 15 years.

Sanctioning girls flag football as a varsity sport makes opportunity official. Too — turning years of grassroots effort by parents, educators, coaches, students and us into lasting equity through stable funding, structured competition and a clear pathway for girls to advance.

Football has always been a powerful force for connections — bridging communities, generations and backgrounds. Too often, access to the game has not matched its promise. Opportunity, resources and the simple assurance that a girl belongs on the field have been unevenly shared. Girls flag football is changing that, not through symbolism, but through sustained commitment, real belief and decisive action.

That belief has been matched by investment. Since 2011, the New York Jets have supported more than 260 teams across three countries, reaching over 7,000 young women each year through more than........

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