Packers Kick Off First Season of Girls Flag Football

 A New Era of Packer Pride Begins as Girls Flag Football Hits the Ground Running

What started as a four-team pilot program last year has exploded into a fast-growing flag football movement across Minnesota and South St. Paul Packers are all in.

This year, SSPPS is excited to participate in the Minnesota Girls Flag Football program. SSPPS is just one of 55 teams jumping on board this spring. Thanks in large part to the Minnesota Vikings who has provided financial and logistical support, the sport is growing fast.

“We learned about the new league at one of our Metro East Conference Athletic Director meetings,” said SSP Athletic Director Brady Krueger. “They were looking for interested schools to join, and it immediately caught my attention. We’ve always had a group of students eager to start a flag football program, so this felt like the perfect opportunity to get it off the ground.”

That instinct proved right. Nearly 50 girls came out for the program, enough to form three teams: Varsity, Jr. Varsity, and B-Squad. 

“The response was incredible,” Krueger said. “And the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from both students and staff. It’s been great to see a fresh opportunity for students to engage, learn, and grow.”

One of those students is Allana, SSP Senior and Varsity quarterback. She says she has always wanted to play football and often plays at home with her family. She says, “Everyone on the team is positive, we are able to work together really well. I'm really excited to see how far we go with this.”

Aviana, SSP Junior Varsity Receiver says, “I’ve always liked football in general, and I thought it would be fun to join,” she shared. “I’m excited to see what our team can do working together.”

The donation for the program supplied essential gear like cones, footballs, flag belts, training equipment, jerseys, and two paid coaching positions. South St. Paul has also added a few touches of its own, including three additional coaches who are volunteering their time to get the program off the ground.

Tryouts blended objective and subjective evaluations, including 40-yard dashes, agility drills, throwing and catching tests, and small-group scrimmages. “We were surprised at how much experience some of the girls brought,” said Head Coach Don Nihart. “One girl told us she’s been attending football camps for years. There’s definitely skill on this team.”

The team practices three times a week in the evenings to work around other after-school sports. Coach Nihart says nearly half of the flag football players also compete in track and you can see the benefit of the crossover on the field.

“We have a really good group of kids,” said Coach Nihart. “They’re respectful, hardworking, and really diverse in age, background, and skill level. They’ve come together quickly as a team.”

Looking ahead, Krueger summed it up perfectly, “We’re really looking forward to a successful season. It’s exciting to have a brand-new program that brings new opportunities. Most importantly, I hope everyone involved has fun and enjoys the experience of building something new together.”

The season runs through the end of the school year, culminating in a state tournament on June 9.