The Seattle Seahawks announced today $117,000 in new grant funding to support the launch of girls’ flag football teams at 30 high schools across the region. The grant funding is courtesy of the Seahawks and the Seattle Seahawks Charitable Foundation. Support for the grants was also made possible thanks to a generous donation from the Cowlitz Tribal Foundation.
Grant recipients include:
Auburn School District:
- Auburn High School
- Auburn Riverside High School
- Auburn Mountainview High School
Bellevue School District:
- Newport High School
- Bellevue High School
- Interlake High School
- Sammamish High School
Franklin Pierce School District:
- Franklin Pierce High School
- Washington High School
Northshore School District:
- Woodinville High School
- Inglemoor High School
- North Creek High School
- Bothell High School
Renton School District:
- Renton High School
- Hazen High School
- Lindburgh High School
Tumwater School District:
- Tumwater High School
- Black Hills High School
Individual Schools:
- Mt. Si High School
- Spanaway Lake High School
- Yelm High School
South Puget Sound League Schools:
- Bellarmine High School
- Olympia High School
- South Kitsap High School
- Bethel High School
- Curtis High School
- Emerald Ridge High School
- Graham-Kapowsin High School
- Puyallup High School
- Rogers High School
The new teams are expected to launch during the 2023-2024 winter sports season. The schools will each also receive a flag football equipment kit from USA football, as well as uniforms courtesy of Nike.
Together with the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) and Nike, the Seahawks are working toward the ultimate goal of having high school girls flag football being adopted as a state-sanctioned sport. Since launching these efforts in 2021, there are now 64 Washington state high schools with girls flag teams. Previous grants have gone toward funding teams within Tacoma and Seattle Public Schools, Mercer Island, Federal Way, Highline, Kent, and more.
In June 2023, the Seahawks hosted the state’s first high school girls flag football championship tournament at the team’s training facility, the Virginia Mason Athletic Center, with Lincoln High School taking home the first-place trophy.
“The Northshore School District is excited to be able to offer enhanced athletic possibilities for our students,” said Amity Butler, Ed.D. Assistant Superintendent, South Region Northshore School District. “This generous investment will ensure empowering opportunities for girls in Northshore.”
Schools interested in launching girls flag programs can fill out an interest form to connect with the Seahawks about future grant opportunities.
The above story is from a Seattle Seahawks news release
