PSAL close to adding girls flag football in NYC

If the NFL lockout somehow slides into a second full year, pigskin fans in New York City might have a salve for their sports wounds come next spring: A second season of prep football to follow, thanks to the ladies.

According to the New York Daily News, the Public School Athletic League is very close to adding girls flag football to the organization's current spring offerings. The association has already held one flag football clinic for prospective coaches and players, and the resulting response was positive enough that the organization is looking into what it would take to get a Spring 2012 season up and running.

"We definitely know there's interest," Eric Goldstein, the Office of School Support Services CEO told the Daily News. "We can't tell the depth of that interest, but we do know from hearing from girls and from coaches that there is definite interest."

While Goldstein's initial comments have been positive but non-committal, athletic directors at schools throughout the city have reportedly been urging the organization to sanction the sport in time to organize a season in Spring 2012.

There are other reasons for flag football optimism, as well. As the Daily News pointed out, the PSAL's track record at developing successful followings in untraditional high school sports also bodes well for girls flag football. First, the rugby became a popular PSAL offering. That was quickly followed by double-dutch rope jumping and cricket, both of which continue to grow.

Now, it appears that the organization could join the states of Florida (Sunshine state flag football powerhouse program Miramar is pictured above) and Texas in sanctioning one of the nation's faster-growing school sports.

"I think it's fabulous, absolutely," Brooklyn (N.Y.) Goldstein High athletic director Henrietta Staub told the Daily News. "I think it's something our girls are interested in doing." ...

"If you have enough schools that want to do this, then why not? We have been looking into this for over a year now. The students love the sport and they think it's fun. So I think it would be fabulous."

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