Chicago Bears team-up with Chicago Public League for girls’ flag football

The Chicago Bears are the newest National league team to urge involved within the sport of girls’ flag football.

On Monday, the Bears and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) announced the launch of Chicago Public League Girl’s Flag Football, in conjunction with NFL FLAG and Nike.

The season will begin in September and have 22 teams from across CPS. It marks the primary girl’s flag league at the high school level in Illinois. Illinois is that the fifth state to launch girl’s flag football as a high school club/emerging sport; six additional states currently have girl’s flag football as a varsity sport.

“Being ready to share our love and keenness for the sport of football with more youth and supply an opportunity for women to play in an organized league at the high school level is a fantastic opportunity and something we’re all excited about,” said Bears head coach Matt Nagy. “We’re proud to partner with CPS, NFL FLAG, and Nike to assist make this league come to life.”

All players will have the chance to attend a kickoff jamboree in August, during which they’ll participate in various clinics and tournament-style games. The 22 teams are going to be split into four divisions and every play five regular-season games from September through October. The league will hold a playoff tournament and present the Chicago Public League Girl’s Flag Football champion with a trophy.

“At the Chicago Public Schools, we pride ourselves on an upscale athletic history steeped in tradition,” said Chicago Public Schools Director of Sports Mickey Pruitt, who is additionally a former Chicago Bear and Super Bowl XXVII Champion. “We are excited to form history once more as we launch the primary high school girl’s flag league in Illinois right here in Chicago. This initiative will create more equitable opportunities for young women in sports and can encourage our students to still be trailblazers in the sector, within the classroom, and in their communities. We are proud to partner with the Chicago Bears, Nike, and NFL FLAG as we champion the importance of promoting young women in sports through Chicago Public League Girl’s Flag Football.”

NFL FLAG hosted a virtual clinic on May 15 to teach coaches the principles and essential components of flag football. Coaches also participated in an in-person clinic on June 12 at Kenwood high school, where FLAG organizers instructed coaches on flag football skills, drills, and rules.

“Earlier this year, NFL FLAG was proud to figure with the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons to assist bring girls flag football to their communities,” said NFL FLAG executive Izell Reese. “We are thrilled to team with the Chicago Bears to bring girl’s flag football to Chicago and help create opportunities for young women to compete and potentially earn scholarship opportunities through the sport of flag.”

Related: Jets launch New Jersey Girls’ Flag Football League

Later this summer, teams will unveil their uniforms, which is a component of Nike’s $10,000 grant to assist launch the league. Nike will provide each school with custom team Nike uniforms from their new Girls Flag Football line of apparel. New cleats are going to be provided for all players because of a donation from Nagy and a grant from Bears Care.