Girls Flag Football Takes Off In Bristol Twp.

Provided by the Bristol Township School District:

The girls’ flag football team. Credit: Submitted

Harry S. Truman High School in Bristol Township recently launched its girls flag football program for the spring season.

Fourteen states, including Pennsylvania, have sanctioned girls flag football as an official sport, which helps increase participation and provides more resources for athletes.

The NFL and its partners are committed to the growth of flag football. At the March School Board of Directors meeting, the board approved a $3,000 donation from the Philadelphia Eagles Charity Foundation that the team can use to purchase uniforms and supplies.

Truman’s Athletic Director Tim Monaghan gauged interest at Truman and more than 100 girls attended the initial information meeting. Over 60 girls tried out and 30 students made the varsity and junior varsity teams.

The coaching team is led by head coach, Keith Flynn, who has taught in Bristol Township School District for the past 26 years. His wife, Casey Flynn, is the assistant coach and has worked as a teaching assistant for 10 years in the district. Tremere Smith, a 2019 Truman graduate, is the JV/defensive coach and works as a security guard at Truman.

“Girls flag football is growing rapidly and our girls are very excited to be a part of it as it allows them to show their athleticism,” said Keith Flynn.

Starting the team from scratch meant that the inaugural players didn’t have the benefit of an off-season to train.

“Our early games were against established teams with multiple years of experience. As a new team, we are still learning the basics of football, so playing and preparing for games against established competition has been a struggle,” explained Keith Flynn. “As a result, our goals are simply to provide girls with an opportunity to play, teach skills, and hopefully establish a winning culture.”

The seniors are excellent mentors for the team. Although they have only one year to play, the coaches said they are leaders, encouraging and motivating the younger players.

“Being on Truman’s inaugural flag football team is very meaningful to me and something I take pride in,” said senior Zianni Martell. “The team is learning together, communicating, and supporting each other through every play. With everyone figuring things out as they go, the bond is growing pretty fast. I believe with every game we play we get better and I can’t wait to see where this season takes us.”

The team recently celebrated its first win, 26-6, against Council Rock High School South on April 10.

“Ultimately, we want to build a winning program that the school, district and community can be proud of,” said Keith Flynn. “Success for us would be all of our juniors and sophomores coming back next year and taking part in an off-season program. If that happens, we will be ready to compete at the start of next season when girls flag football becomes an official PIAA sport.”

PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc.) has declared girls’ flag football an official sport starting in the 2025-2026 school year.

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