It’s here and it’s staying.

Girls flag football has taken the world by storm and fell onto Bethel Park’s doorstep in the 2023 school season. As an officially sanctioned PIAA sport for high school girls in the 25-’26 season and so forth, the rise of the sport and the love for the game have been shared with Bethel Park.

The ’23-’24 school season was the inaugural year of the sport. Each player in the 24-girl roster knew they were the start of a historic path of a great sport in the halls of Bethel Park.

Mrs. Nicole Hipkins, the assistant principal of the high school and a coach on the team, is an avid supporter of girls’ flag football and pushed for the opening so that the school could have the chance to play.

When asked why she wanted to push for it, and what the increased interest in the sport means to her, Mrs. Hipkins said, “Other sports, like volleyball and basketball, athletes have been playing them for their whole life. Flag football appeals to girls without backgrounds in sports or previous training. It gives them a chance to be seen and to be heard. It’s their chance that if they didn’t have an activity, they can have something of their own. It’s their turn.”

Responding to the question of if she could go back, what would she change in the first season, Mrs. Hipkins replied: “I would tell the girls that you don’t have to know football to play. I made assumptions that the girls knew about the sport and had a background in it. I would be sure the girls understood the basic rules and positions.”

The first season ended with a split record of six wins and six losses, while last year’s season ended with seven wins and five losses. The girls fought opponents similar to those in the boys’ football section, including South Fayette, Mt. Lebanon, Belle Vernon, West Mifflin, and Thomas Jefferson.

“Clairton was the toughest competitor. They have a really good offense, and they matched our speed,” Daphne Mach, a junior running back, said.

In the past, two athletes, Brooke Kessler and Jala Schoffstall, had the honor of representing Bethel Park in the PFSCA’s Big 33 classic football tournament.

High school girls from around the Northeast region represent the Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Washington Commanders in this tournament.

As the spring sports season is slowly approaching, the team is looking for girls who are willing to carry on this competitive sport. If you’re interested, please reach out to Mrs. Hipkins or any of the girls who have participated in the past two seasons.

Look out for the L.E.A.D. sessions and the open gyms that are periodically held throughout the school year!