Hundreds of high school girls across the Bay Area are living out a dream.
From the far reaches of the East Bay to the Peninsula, teenagers in shorts, jerseys and in some cases intimidating eye-black are celebrating touchdowns and victories with smiles and high-fives during a groundbreaking flag football season.
“This has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl,” Dublin High senior Sydney Costello said.
Seven months after the California Interscholastic Federation unanimously gave its 10 sections approval to play flag football, the sport’s popularity has exceeded even optimistic expectations.
Some schools, including Pittsburg and Freedom in East Contra Costa County, cut dozens of players during tryouts because there were not enough spots.
At Menlo School in Atherton, Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young is an assistant coach on a team that includes his two daughters.
“When this came up, I didn’t know if we would have any interest at all,” said Central Coast Section commissioner Dave Grissom, whose office oversees schools from San Francisco to King City. “It’s just taken off. I’m surprised, pleasantly surprised, that it’s taken off like this.”
Tackle football and flag football rules are obviously different, but the scene at California High in San Ramon on Tuesday night for a trio of girls games had all the pageantry and enthusiasm of Friday Night Lights.
Cheerleaders and dancers went through routines on the sidelines in front of bleachers filled with parents and students, some holding colorful signs with the number and name of their favorite players.
Those sights and almost all of the sounds are exactly like a tackle football game.
Spectators shouted familiar phrases such as “get them” and “that’s not a flag” at players and officials. The latest songs from artists such as Olivia Rodrigo blared during breaks in action, and a thunderous “TOUCHDOWN” boomed from the public address after every score. The only difference from tackle football is the lack of pads popping against each other.
“Our home games are already big and exciting, and it’s great to see how much support the sport is already getting,” said San Ramon Valley junior Brianna Shapiro, whose team was among the three playing at California.
The games last about an hour as the teams play with a running clock except for the last two minutes of each 20-minute half. The fields are 80 yards long and 40 yards wide.
There are seven players on the field for each team, down from 11 for tackle football. Players don’t wear pads or helmets, and there is no tackling and limited contact. Pulling a flag attached to a ball carrier’s waist means the play is over.
San Ramon Valley's Kate Herrera (30) makes a catch for a first down against Dublin's Adrianna Avelar (14) in the second half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. San Ramon Valley won 12-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Menlo School's Summer Young (8) stands with teammates for the National Anthem before their game against Sacred Heart Prep at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
The California football team watches the flag football game between San Ramon Valley and California in the first half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 7-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Dublin's Sydney Costello (3) has her flag pulled as she run against San Ramon Valley in the first half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. San Ramon Valley won 12-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Dublin's Sydney Costello (3) collides with California's Caeli AuYeung (12) as she tries to pull her flag in the second half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 24-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Menlo School's Ava Allen (2) throws against Sacred Heart Prep in the second half at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Menlo School's Laila Young (23) runs with the ball against Sacred Heart Prep's Morgan Buckley (30) in the first half at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Menlo School's Ava Allen (2) collides with Sacred Heart Prep's Morgan Buckley (30) in the second half at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Menlo School flag football team huddle before their game against Sacred Heart Prep at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
California's Audrey Fitzgerald (11) listens to her coach during half time of their flag football game against San Ramon Valley at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 7-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
The California flag football sidelines celebrate a play against San Ramon Valley in the second half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 7-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Grissom estimates that 30 to 40 of his 152 schools are playing girls flag football this fall. They all have independent schedules — there is no league play this season — but that figures to change as the sport grows.
In the neighboring North Coast Section, which extends from the East Bay to the coastal side of the Oregon border, commissioner Pat Cruickshank said 32 of his 177 schools are participating this season, with the teams grouped into traditional leagues.
The CCS and NCS will not hold playoffs this year, but are planning to have them starting in 2024.
The Oakland Section is expected to have seven teams play this fall, six from the Oakland Athletic League plus one charter school. The section plans to hold a championship game a few hours before its Silver Bowl, the title game between its tackle football teams.
The sport isn’t just drawing the interest of girls. Several former high school tackle football coaches are now coaching the girls.
Bellarmine’s Mike Janda, who retired in 2020 as the CCS’s all-time winningest coach, is helping at Notre Dame-San Jose, working under his longtime assistant John Amarillas.
In the East Bay, Pittsburg’s Victor Galli and Freedom’s Kevin Hartwig are back as head coaches for their schools’ flag football teams.
“I think it’s great for football,” Hartwig told the Bay Area News Group in August. “Gives it a new spark.”
Though the sport is off to a strong start, schools still face challenges.
A referee checks the flag of California’s Lauren Grgurina (10) after she scored a touchdown against San Ramon Valley in the second half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 7-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Sacred Heart Prep athletic director Jason Armstrong said finding referees has been difficult and, as many anticipated when the CIF made flag football an official sport, field availability is an issue.
To work around the dilemma, school officials are scheduling flag football games in the middle of the week. Menlo School and Sacred Heart Prep, neighbors on Valparaiso Avenue in Atherton, opened the season against each other on Wednesday in the girls’ version of the Valpo Bowl.
Even with logistical hurdles, the excitement is evident across the Bay Area. In that Valpo Bowl, more than 500 fans saw the Gators beat the Knights and were entertained by Sacred Heart Prep’s band and dance team, bringing a big-game feel to the weekday afternoon.
At Pittsburg, 80 girls tried out for about 30 spots on the roster. Galli, who stepped down as the school’s tackle football coach last season after two decades, had to make some difficult decisions.
“I am sure the plan next year is we’re going to do two teams,” Galli said. “I don’t like breaking hearts.”
For those who get to play, few hearts have been broken.
Woodside’s Lilie Parodi (3) runs with the ball against Menlo School during a scrimmage for their flag football game at Menlo School in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Woodside’s Lilie Parodi has been around football for years. Her dad, Mike, is the tackle football coach at Hillsdale.
In her team’s scrimmage last week against Menlo School, Parodi scored Woodside’s first touchdown, a thrilling moment to start a historical season.
Parodi, who also competes in dance and track, wants others playing flag football to experience similar highlights.
“I’m hoping it inspires a lot of new girls to come out and see that they can do a sport that’s mostly boy-dominant,” Parodi said. “Girls can come out here and be good at it, too, and lead a team and know everything. Show up the boys a little.”
And they’ll get their chance to shine on the gridiron, which sounds great to Dublin senior Adrianna Avelar.
“Now we get to be under the lights, instead of in the bleachers,” she said.
Darren Sabedra contributed to this report.
California's Lauren Grgurina (10) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a touchdown off of her interception against Dublin in the first half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 24-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Ramon Valley prepares to huddle during their game against Dublin in the first half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. San Ramon Valley won 12-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
The California bench celebrates a touchdown by California's Nadia Sherman (23) against Dublin in the first half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 24-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
California's Olivia Horton (43) pulls the flag against San Ramon Valley's Kaitlyn Bray (25) in the first half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 7-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
California's Caeli AuYeung (12) pulls the flag of Dublin's Lily Charlton (10) after a long scramble in the second half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 24-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Dublin's Adrianna Avelar (14) knocks a pass away intended for San Ramon Valley's Kate Herrera (30) in front of Dublin's Lyla Salemi (18) in the first half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. San Ramon Valley won 12-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
California's Lauren Grgurina (10) intercepts the ball in front of Dublin's Sydney Costello (3) in the first half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 24-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
California's Alexia Rinehart (13) chases after San Ramon Valley's Kaitlyn Bray (25) in the first half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 7-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Ramon Valley's Onessa Yee (1) runs against California's Olivia Horton (43) in the first half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 7-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
The California flag football sidelines celebrate a play against San Ramon Valley in the second half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 7-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
California’s Alana DeZao (16) talks to some cheerleaders during halftime of their flag football game against San Ramon Valley at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 7-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Ramon Valley's Elise Doyle (12) shows off a flag she pulled against California in the first half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 7-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
California cheerleaders perform during the San Ramon Valley flag football game against California in the first half at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 7-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
California’s flag football team prepares for their game against San Ramon Valley at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. California won 7-0. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Menlo School's Ava Allen (2) collides with Sacred Heart Prep's Morgan Buckley (30) in the second half at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Menlo School's Laila Young (23) runs with the ball against Sacred Heart Prep's Morgan Buckley (30) in the first half at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Sacred Heart Prep's Sanaia Shields (8) makes a catch against Menlo School in the second half at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Sacred Heart Prep's Ryleigh Longaker (47) throws against Menlo School in the second half at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Menlo School's Maren Mulloy (16) celebrates her interception with Menlo School's Anya Khan (32) against Sacred Heart Prep in the second half at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Sacred Heart Prep head flag football coach Dennis O’Malley talks to his team at half time during their game against Menlo School at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Sacred Heart Prep's Stella Bartle (48) grabs the flag of Menlo School's Ava Allen (2) in the second half at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Menlo School flag football head coach John Paye talks to his team at halftime during their game against Sacred Heart Prep at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Sacred Heart Prep's Morgan Buckley (30) grabs the flag of Menlo School's Ava Allen (2) in the second half at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Menlo School's Laila Young (23) and Menlo School's Anya Khan (32) prepare for their game against Sacred Heart Prep at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
The Sacred Heart Prep flag football team huddles before their game against Menlo School at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
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