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The Calhoun School recently launched a girls’ flag football team thanks to the generosity of the Atlanta Falcons.

According to Athletic Director Nick Rankins, the team received a $5,000 grant which allowed the school to launch the program. The grant was received from the Arthur M. Blank Foundation, the chairman of which (Arthur Blank) is the owner of the Atlanta Falcons.

Rankins said Calhoun is grateful to the Falcons’ for their generosity which has allowed the school to offer another athletic program to their student body.

“The Falcons’ have been the biggest supporters of flag football and they’ve been pushing hard to get this started across the state,” Ranks said. “We’re really thankful they chose to give us this opportunity. Because of the grant our team is up and running with 16 girls playing this year.”

After helping to bring the sport to Georgia high schools, the Falcons launched a pilot program in 2021 in partnership with Reigning Champs (RCX) and the Alabama High School Athletic association (AHSAA) to bring flag football to Alabama as well. 

After the AHSAA voted to sanction girls’ flag football as an official high school sport in August, 86 schools in the state decided to start programs to offer the sport to their students. 

In a statement released by the Falcons, the pro team recognized 25 schools across the state which will be receiving a grant in order to start official flag football programs. 

The Calhoun Lady Tigers took on the Sidney Lanier Poets for their first match on Sep. 26 and emerged victorious with a 7-0 win, and unfortunately lost to Montgomery Catholic 31-0 on Oct. 3. In their next match, the Lady Tigers will face the Francis Marion Rams on their home field on Oct. 10.