Flag football has become a rapidly growing sport for high school girls in Winnipeg, with the recent launch of a new league by the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Players like Solape Obasa have embraced the opportunity to play flag football and showcase their athletic abilities in a male-dominated field. Obasa and her peers at Elmwood High School pushed for the establishment of a girls flag football team and quickly recruited enough participants to form a team. Head coach Zhanna Samborski believes that the speed of the game, camaraderie, and the chance for girls to break into traditionally male-dominated spaces are driving factors behind the growing interest in girls flag football.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers saw a gap in opportunities for high school-aged girls to participate in football and sought to address it by introducing the girls flag football league. President and CEO Wade Miller hopes that the league will encourage more girls to get involved in football and eventually lead them to playing tackle or flag football year-round. The sport’s inclusion in the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles has further solidified its status as a rapidly growing sport. Jim Mullin, president of Football Canada, believes that some players from the Winnipeg league could potentially go on to represent Canada at the Olympics, showcasing the rapid development of flag football as a competitive sport.
The essence of flag football, where opponents try to pull a flag off a player instead of tackling them, has contributed to the sport’s growth as it eliminates concerns about getting hit and allows players to focus on the technical aspects of the game. Additionally, the minimal equipment and infrastructure requirements make it accessible to players in rural and northern parts of Manitoba, contributing to the sport’s popularity across the region. Coaches like Mike Watson emphasize that flag football serves as a great entry point for players to learn the fundamentals of football without the fear of physical contact, ultimately building their confidence on the field.
Flag football has seen significant growth globally, with an estimated 20 million players in over 100 countries, including Canada. Canada’s national flag football teams are highly competitive, with the women’s team winning the bronze medal at the Americas Continental Flag Football Championship. Local players like Darci Epp are excited to see the next generation of girls embrace flag football as a new sport to play, highlighting the positive impact of the sport on young athletes. With the support of organizations like Football Canada and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, flag football for high school girls in Winnipeg is expected to continue thriving as a popular and competitive sport for young athletes.
