In an initiative aiming to level the playing field for young female athletes, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, alongside the Baltimore Ravens and the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS), has announced a new partnership to introduce girls' flag football to all Howard County public high schools. The county's future scholar-athletes seem to have much to look forward to, with plans laid out to embed flag football into the school system's athletic offerings by the fall of 2026.
The plan, orchestrated by Ball's administration and the Baltimore Ravens, followed a series of discussions initiated last year. With a Memorandum of Understanding now signed, the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks is geared up to kick off the flag football league in 2025, after which it will become a staple of high school sports the following year. As expressed by HCPSS Superintendent Bill Barnes, the school system is thrilled to add this inclusive sport to its roster, hailing it as a boon for student involvement in athletics "for the 2026-2027 school year," according to a Howard County press release.
Preceding the league's official school takeover, the Ravens are on the front lines, offering free clinics starting this October for athletes and coaches to get a head start. Meanwhile, the Howard County Recreation and Parks will continue promoting the sport with a focus on building confidence and leadership skills among female athletes. "Girls flag football provides an opportunity for high school female athletes to build confidence, develop leadership skills, and compete in a game that has historically been out of reach," Nick Mooneyhan, Director of Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks, told Howard County. In a step towards an inclusive athletic landscape, the department aims to inspire confidence and enable a future for flag football where girls can challenge themselves and each other on the field.
