‘Incredible to see the growth,’ Texans host girls flag football championships

HOUSTON – Scooting up the sideline, racing away from pursuit, the Heights’ Emma Syphard displayed her skills Saturday morning.

She led the way for her squad as they won the Houston ISD championship over Westbury in an event hosted by the Texans at their Houston Methodist training center, earning Most Valuable Player honors.

The growth of girls flag football, under the Texans’ leadership, is up to more than 80 high schools with every Houston ISD school in addition to schools in Fort Bend, Stafford, Alief and charter schools as well as multiple schools in El Paso and Austin.

It’s an initiative supported by the National Football League, especially the Texans.

Hannah McNair, the Texans’ foundation vice president, is a huge fan of the sport, which she’s played in the past and, currently, by her daughter.

“There’s such an excitement around girls flag football, flag football in general, the girls’ flag taking off, just incredibly,” McNair said. “And to be watching that game and seeing the intensity with which the girls play, but the fans, the coaches, all of us watching, it’s so incredible to see the growth that this game has done.

“I had no idea there was going to be this much interest, not just locally, but all across the state, all across the nation. We’ll be in El Paso and Austin this week for championships. We’re here today with these championships. I came from my daughter’s championship earlier, which she won. So, coming from that to here, I just feel like I’m on Cloud Nine watching all this, it‘s incredible."

After the Heights’ victory, Austin defeated Willowridge and Legacy School of Sport defeated Aristoi Classical Academy.

Flag football is an officially sanctioned Olympic sport in 2028, with the Games set for Los Angeles.

The Texans and Dallas Cowboys both want to make this an officially sanctioned sport at the high school level in Texas.

“With the Olympics coming, the growth of the sport and the talk around girls flag football has grown exponentially over the last couple of years,” McNair said. “So, I think that the sky’s the limit. I think we can go much further than where we are and we know that based on the interest that we’re getting with the need, the want and all these schools we really want to get it UIL sanctioned here in Texas.

“To watch this and the intensity and the love that you see on their faces, the competition is so cool. To be able to bring this game to these girls, in this way and to bring it at a high level, it brings so many opportunities for them and for the growth of the game.”

Taylor, a free agent signing this offseason, was extremely impressed with the level of play as he cheered the athletes on.

“Man, that’s a lot of skill out there, man, from them breaking the coverage to them throwing the ball down the field,” Taylor said. “It was a lot of skill out there and it was pretty cool to see today.”

For Al-Shaair, there was a message he wanted to impart along with encouraging all of the participants.

“That’s awesome, especially like I think just to see you know me growing up as a kid, just women playing sports in general specifically football like almost nonexistent to now how far along is this progress over the years and like seeing the excitement in their face, I’m excited,” Al-Shaair said. “We’re watching the game and it felt like watching like us play It was dope, man. It was and awesome experience

“The sky’s the limit. You can go as far as you want to take it. When I was younger and like women didn’t play football really much at all to now seeing like the skill that they have like I need to work with my hands because I saw some catches that I’m like, ‘Dang, I can’t do that so honestly, women, you can be whoever you want to be. All those girls out there were working, so it was special.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com