FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - The inaugural season of a trailblazing flag football league in New England wrapped up Friday with eight teams competing in a tournament-style bracket on the field at Gillette Stadium.
The high school girls flag football teams have been playing this year as part of an initiative to expand women’s flag football across New England and beyond.
The players on the league’s teams come from communities including Chelsea, Fitchburg and Peabody.
Speaking this week, players said they were excited for the opportunity in Foxboro.
“Playing on this field where the Patriots play, this is something,” said junior Angelina Buonopane. “I’m excited.”
“I want to play on the team but girls can’t join the actual football team at my school because we get made fun of for it, so I was like, ‘This is my chance to play football,” said freshman Daniella Andruskiewicz.
Girls participation in sports has been steadily growing over the last five years, according to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. Still, participation for girls has lagged behind participation for boys.
With participation in mind, this new league was sponsored by the Patriots organization. Each team received $5,000 to jumpstart the league and custom Nike jerseys.
“We spend time together in school, sometimes out of school with some players,” Andruskiewicz said. “It’s just like a whole family.”
At the end of this season, teams got a chance to play under the Friday night lights at Gillette this week where, no matter who won, teams scored a big win for girls sports across the state.
“We made it a sport,” Buonopane said. “…Like, we made this happen we did this
Tournament games were ongoing as of around 6 p.m. Friday.
A league official, meanwhile, told 7NEWS there has been interest from other states in New England in starting a league for their schools.
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