Malden Tornados posing with the opposing team for a group photo. Submitted by Ashton Calixte
Harmonie Ortiz, the reporter of this article, also participates on the Malden High Flag Football team.
Pop! The flag from your belt comes off with a swift snatch from the defender. The referee blows his whistle to signal the fourth and last down. Players switch sides from defense to offense and take their spots. This marks the start to a flag football game.
Flag football is an up-and-coming sport that allows you to have the fun of football with more regulations. Unlike regular football where those on defense tackles the person with the ball, flag football players have two flags on their hips where the defenders aim to take one.
In 1940, flag football became recognized. During WWII, many soldiers missed home and made an alternative for playing football for a more homely feeling. They stuffed rags in their pockets and ran around with a football. This inspired many women in the workspace during this time and spread throughout the country to create a fun and safe activity.
This sport has now been brought to Malden High School. It’s seen as “one of the fastest growing sports” for girls, according to coach Danny Sullivan. With this becoming a new sport in many colleges, it offers many chances for a scholarship in playing flag for D1 colleges. Flag football could create scholarship opportunities for students with college aspirations. This event will also be integrated as an Olympic sport in the Summer of 2028.
The fast rising of flag football has enabled Sullivan, the Athletics Director Charlie Conefrey, and the Recreation Center Director Joe Levine to bring this from a recreational sport, to a sport that you can also partake in at a high school level. Sullivan expresses how he has seen many girls feel “a sense of belonging.”
“I’m filled with excitement and joy knowing that there’s a new sport for girls to be able to play,” said junior Ava Lacasse.
With many excited to join flag football, there is also a worry of the number of people who will participate. The late addition of this to school activities have had problems struggling to pick between the sport they’re familiar with, or to partake in the spring or join flag football. To fix this issue, coach Sullivan scheduled practices to be on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30-12 p.m. in hopes of making it accessible for those who participate in other sports.
Flag football has contributed to the wide diversity of sports at Malden High School. On April 7th, 2026, Sullivan made history, producing the first flag football team to play a game.
Flag football is a new sport for all and brings new experiences. You may even have fun. The introduction of new sports makes the future of Malden Tornadoes and the Malden flag football team is helping build history this year.
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