WEST ORANGE, NJ — Following the enthusiastic premiere of girls flag football at the high school level, the New Jersey Suburban Youth Football League has announced the start of girls flag football at the junior level. The West Orange Police Athletic League will be part of the inaugural season. They were scheduled to host the opener on Saturday, April 13, at Suriano Stadium at West Orange High School. They will also host the Saturday, May 11 game.
West Orange PAL is one of the first youth league programs to offer the opportunity, along with Bloomfield, Berkeley Heights and Summit/New Providence. Perth Amboy and Montclair hope to join next year.
As girls flag football continues to grow in popularity, talks are underway to make it an official high school sport in New Jersey and, ultimately, an Olympic sport.
There is a 12U division (girls in grades 4-6) and 14U (girls in grades 7-8). The WOPAL teams will play at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. WOPAL is the feeder program to West Orange High School. WOHS girls flag football head coach/WOHS assistant football coach Andrew Mazurek is also a WOPAL board member who has been instrumental in helping to develop this program.
Indeed, West Orange sports is making history.
Here is the rest of the schedule:
April 20: at New Providence HS.
April 27: at Bloomfield (Foley Field).
May 4: at New Providence HS.
May 11: at West Orange HS.
May 18: at Governor Livingston HS, in Berkeley Heights.
Playoffs
June 1: at Bloomfield (Foley Field).
Championship
June 8: at WOHS.