The second annual CIAC girls flag football tournament kicked off this week, bringing together 23 teams that will contest 23 games over four days across six venues scattered throughout Connecticut.
The field has grown dramatically from the inaugural event a year ago, which featured just 10 squads, and now includes two divisions — Class L with 14 schools and Class M with nine — each vying for a championship.
Tournament Structure
Teams are grouped into pools based on enrollment size, historic pedigree, geography and scheduling considerations, and they advance according to win‑loss records or, in the event of a tie, by fewest points allowed.
Windsor serves as the tournament’s hub, hosting pool play on Friday and Saturday before the semifinals and finals unfold on May 30‑31, cementing its role as the central nexus of high‑school girls flag football in the state.
The competition reflects a broader surge in interest: Post University recently launched Connecticut’s first collegiate varsity program, and while the sport remains a club activity under the CIAC, national momentum is pushing it toward varsity status, with more than 40 states now offering high‑school flag football and 19 plus Washington D.C. granting varsity recognition.
The event also underscores the sport’s Olympic aspirations, as flag football will make its debut at the 2028 Summer Games, a milestone that could accelerate its formal adoption across the country.