Written by Marcus Espinoza
All-girls flag football is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S. and the largest tournament played out in Conshohocken.
CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. - Nearly 100 teams play for gridiron glory in Conshohocken, with some players coming as far away as Canada. Forget the pads and grab the flags, for the largest all-girls flag football tournament in the nation.
The NFL is back in action in a few weeks, but there’s another exciting sport happening Sundays and that is women’s flag football. Sundays are no longer reserved just for the NFL, as women’s flag football is one of the fastest growing sports in America.
Michael Reimel is the director and owner of Flag Football Life and runs the ‘We Run the World’ All-Female Flag Football Tournament, the largest of its kind in the country.
"We grew it from just one girls division to five girls divisions and we have over 80 teams here today," Reimel said.
The names and faces may be different, but one realizes very quickly, this is Justas, if not more, competitive than any tackle football league.
Just ask 13-year-old Staten Island native Alicia Picciallo. "It’s been amazing playing with the girls! It’s just so fun and it’s such a great community for everyone and everyone’s just so nice to each other. We just love it."
And, anyone who thinks tackling in football is required for an exciting watch, think again.
"It has the same principles of tackle, it’s just a much safer and faster-paced game," Reimel added.
More and more high schools are adding the sport officially to their programs and the scholarship opportunities are already available for those heading into college.
17-year-old Bridget Keyser, from Lansdale Catholic, is one of those scholars. "I won the 2023 Flag Football Life Scholarship for making a video about flag football and how much I love it."
Keyser’s scholarship is worth $2,000, but it’s clear what the young women gain from the sport, in competitive lessons, friendship and facing adversity, is priceless.