Lowell Exploring Future of Girls Flag Football Program

When boys volleyball sought recognition from the Michigan High School Athletic Association, one of the hurdles was balancing participation opportunities. Adding a boys sport often requires a comparable opportunity for girls. In this case, there was already a girls sport with strong participation in Michigan’s Detroit-area suburbs that made sense as a counterpart: field hockey.

Now another emerging sport could be on a similar path. Girls flag football, which is also growing rapidly in many east side schools, is beginning to generate conversations about whether it could someday become an MHSAA-sanctioned sport.

The sport’s growth in Michigan has been significant. Girls flag football expanded from a four-team pilot in 2023 to more than 40 participating schools by the 2025 season, with additional programs expected to join in 2026. The trajectory is not unlike what boys volleyball experienced during its early expansion.

If girls flag football were eventually considered for MHSAA sanctioning, the same question would likely arise again: what boys sport could be added to help balance participation opportunities?

Finding a clear counterpart is not simple. Some sports, such as boys gymnastics, have historically existed but would be difficult to revive given the challenges many schools already face maintaining girls gymnastics programs. Other options like rowing, esports, clay target, and equestrian are generally structured as co-ed activities.

One possibility sometimes discussed is rugby. Rugby is a sport Lowell once had in the 2000’s. While still primarily a club sport, boys rugby has solid participation numbers and only a smaller presence for girls teams in Michigan compared to their boys counterparts. It could theoretically grow alongside girls flag football, though any such development would likely be years away. For now, it remains only a hypothesis.

At Lowell, the focus is much closer to home. The district is beginning to explore girls flag football at the youth level.

Lowell Middle School social studies teacher Drew Struckmeyer helping coach a girls flag football practice.

A new minicamp at Lowell Middle School recently introduced local athletes to the sport while helping gauge interest for a potential future program. Middle school teacher Drew Struckmeyer organized the four-day camp, which drew more than 40 participants from grades six through eight.

The goal of the minicamp is simple: introduce the sport and determine whether Lowell could eventually support a full high school program.

“The goal is to eventually try to build this into a varsity program,” Struckmeyer said. “This is a first step toward potentially achieving that by gauging and generating interest.”

While girls flag football is not yet sanctioned by the Michigan High School Athletic Association, opportunities already exist for high school athletes. The Detroit Lions host a spring league for girls high school teams that culminates in a state championship tournament at Ford Field. After only a few seasons, the league has expanded to include more than 70 schools for the 2026 season.

The sport’s momentum extends far beyond Michigan. Seventeen states have already added girls flag football as a varsity high school sport, while more than 40 NCAA athletic departments now sponsor the sport, with some programs offering scholarships. Flag football is also scheduled to make its debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Local opportunities are expanding as well. The Lowell Youth Football League is offering a girls flag football league this spring, providing another pathway for athletes interested in learning the sport.

For Struckmeyer, the growing opportunities make it important to begin developing those skills early.

“With all of these growing opportunities and excitement around the sport, I want to make sure the school is equipping athletes with the skills and opportunities to participate in middle school, high school, and maybe even beyond,” he said.

Introducing a new sport is never simple, particularly during the spring season when Lowell’s athletic calendar is already crowded. Struckmeyer, who is entering his 10th season as a track coach, understands that challenge well.

“The spring is a tough time to add sports since it’s already jam-packed with options,” he said. “Any kind of future program would be designed to work with other sports, not compete against them.”

For now, the focus remains on introducing the fundamentals of the game and seeing how students respond. With more than 40 middle school athletes already participating in the first minicamp, early signs suggest Lowell’s girls are eager to give the sport a try.

If that interest continues to grow, this week’s minicamp may represent the first step toward bringing girls flag football to Lowell High School in the years ahead.