TMCnet News
Football group invites girls to play(The Leader-Times Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jun. 10--The Armstrong Indians youth football organization wants to give area girls another athletic option by creating a flag football division for girls ages 9-12. Chuck Furlong, who is on the group's board of directors, would like to see girls flag football split into two leagues, one for 9- and 10-year-olds and another for 11- and 12-year-olds. Furlong doesn't expect to have enough girls registered to fill the rosters for two age groups this year. He envisions girls flag football beginning slowly, with two or three teams. To make that happen, girls who live outside Armstrong County can register. His goal for girls flag football is for it to one day be a part of the Greater 28 Youth League, in which the Armstrong Indians compete. "I just want to see more opportunity for girls in the area," Furlong said. "I've been reading about girls flag football in other states, and in Florida, some schools have it at the varsity level." So far, three girls have registered to play flag football for the Armstrong Indians, but with the popularity of powder puff football at area high schools, that number may soon rise. Each year at area schools like Ford City and Kittanning, girls in the senior class play junior girls in one flag football game. "Powder puff football is a big deal," Kittanning athletic director Todd Harvey said. "There are about 50 girls on each team every fall. That's a big number of kids. Even the girls who don't play other sports come out. It's real popular, and the girls look forward to it." Carly Ochs, who graduated from Kittanning last week, participated in powder puff football the last two years. Ochs, who was a leader on the Wildcats softball and girls basketball teams, said she would have played flag football had it been offered when she was younger. "Girls who don't want to play soccer or softball might want to play flag football," Ochs said. "I really, really liked powder puff. Girls don't want to run around in big pads and helmets. We want something for ourselves." Furlong said he would be happy if the Armstrong Indians could get enough girls for 6-on-6 or 7-on-7. If enough girls registered, flag football would begin in the middle of July. "Powder puff football is just one game a year," Furlong said. "It's been popular for the last 10 to 15 years. Now we want to get the younger girls involved. It would be another outlet for them." The first girl to sign up for flag football was Alexis Erdley of Ford City. Edith Erdley, Alexis' mother, said her daughter is a big football fan and is excited about the possibility of playing. "The other activities that are out there for girls she's just not into," Edith Erdley said. "She likes football, and because it's flag, it's not rough." Edith Erdley also likes that flag football wouldn't cost as much as other girls activities. "I have girlfriends who are paying hundreds of dollars for dancing and cheerleading," Edith Erdley said. "Those are nice activities, but I don't think that's what my daughter needs, and that stuff is outrageous in price." Furlong said the Armstrong Indians will hold another registration session for girls flag football during the first week of July at the West Kittanning Fireman's Field. Gavin Jenkins can be reached at [email protected] or 724-543-1303, ext. 221. To see more of The Leader-Times or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/leadertimes/. Copyright (c) 2008, The Leader-Times, Kittanning, Pa. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |