New York Jets and Chicago Bears celebrate landmark NFL Girls Flag League with Championship event
Ealing Fields will now face a team from Germany at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during the NFL London games after winning the Championship game of the first NFL Girls Flag League on Monday.
Tuesday 23 May 2023 12:02, UK
Ealing Fields were crowned champions of the NFL Girls Flag League on Monday as the New York Jets and Chicago Bears capped the inaugural season of the landmark competition.
The NFL sides teamed up earlier this year to launch the UK's first all-girls' flag league in view of attracting new younger fans to the sport.
It was Ealing Fields who would emerge victorious in the final Championship game as they beat Beaconsfield 38-12 to set up a meeting with a German-based team around the time of this year's NFL London games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
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The league was made up of girls aged 12-14 and consisted of 12 teams spread evenly across two conferences, the competition taking place over five weeks ahead of the Championship Event at Ealing Trailfinders Club.
Sky Sports NFL's Phoebe Schecter, an NFL & IFAF Global Flag Ambassador, was in attendance on the day to offer her support.
Jesse Linder, VP of Community Relations for the Jets, said: "It has been wonderful observing the young girls grow over the last five weeks, both in terms of their prowess on the pitch and the community they've formed.
"We truly believe Flag Football is one of the best sports for young girls both here and in the UK and our joint league with the Bears has reflected that."
The NFL and International Federation of American Football last year launched Vision28 as a campaign to try and secure the inclusion of Flag Football at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Matt Simeone, Bears' Director of Community & Alumni Relations, added: "This is only the beginning for the Bears involvement in bring girls Flag Football in the UK. We know that young girls gain transferable skills from taking part in Flag Football, and we want to ensure that girls in the UK have the same opportunity to take part as those in the US."
Flag Football also received recognition at the 44th annual Sports Emmys Award show on Monday as the NFL's Super Bowl LVII 'Run With It' advert, featuring Mexican Women's Flag Football quarterback Diana Flores, won the Outstanding Public Service Content category.
