CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Athletics teamed up to launch a flag football league for girls.
The 20-team league kicked off Friday night at Hough High School.
“The response from the teams. The response from parents, everyone that was involved was, like, ‘This is amazing,’” said Riley Fields, Panthers director of Community Relations. “So that gave us the momentum to move forward with having further conversations with CMS.”
In the video at the top of this webpage, why the program is so important.
Panthers, in February, announce new program
(Watch past coverage in the video below)
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“I believe when you look at this day, and we look back, this is a special day. This is a special day for the game I love,” said Mike Rucker, former Panthers defensive end.
It all started when the Panthers hosted six teams in fall 2020 in its inaugural jamboree.
“Just to see how the girls responded. And the response from the teams, from the individual players was over the top. We knew that we had something,” said Panthers director of community relations Riley Fields.
Carolina Panthers Charities will provide CMS with a $50,000 grant to support the pilot program, including school resources and custom Nike school uniforms.
The intramural/club-level program will help provide high school girls with more opportunities to participate in the fast-growing sport of girls’ high school flag football, which has been sanctioned as a varsity sport in six states across the country.
“The Carolina Panthers are thrilled to partner with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Athletics in the creation of a pilot Girls High School Flag Football League, which will provide increased participation opportunities and access to the sport of football for high school girls. Our hope is this league will lead to increased participation by high schools across our region,” said Fields. “We are especially pleased to be able to announce the program launch as we celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day.”
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The league will start with club teams, although the goal is to grow it into a varsity sport.
“It’s important that we plant those seeds. I may not be able to come into fruition while I’m in this position, but one day it will,” said CMS Athletic Director Ericia Turner.
The league will start in April after spring break. Officials said 20 high schools are already on board.
“When I’m speaking to my fellow male athletes, they constantly diminish what we do, how we play our sports. So for us to play football and be able to relate to some of our counterparts, I think it will be an amazing opportunity,” said North Mecklenburg High School senior Breana Fowler.
>> Brown was at the celebration for the launch and will have more on the program, at 6 p.m. on Channel 9.
(WATCH BELOW: Panthers Charles Johnson coaches kids in flag football league)
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