In spring 2024, the New York Jets and Nike expanded the High School Girls Flag Football League to over 100 schools throughout NJ, Long Island and the Hudson Valley. This league is supported by both Gatorade and Visa, who help elevate the experience for all participants. Since 2021, the Jets have provided grants, flag equipment and uniforms to participating schools. The Jets have hosted coaching clinics, official trainings, jamborees, Gatorade flag series and championship games at MetLife Stadium and the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Each week during the flag season, Gatorade honors a Girls Flag Player of the Week, while Visa recognizes a Game Changer Coach of the Week – both awards commemorate the efforts of players and coaches for their impact on the flag football community. The long-term goal is for high school girls flag football to be recognized as a championship sport throughout the tri-state area. In spring 2025, girls flag football will move into its 2nd year as a championship sport in NY and season two as a piloted sport in NJ - with official sanctioning on the horizon.
The New York Jets and Gatorade host eight regular-season high school girls' flag football games at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center as part of the Gatorade Girls Flag Series. To continue expanding opportunities for girls' flag players, high school teams from the tri-state area will compete on the same field where the Jets players train every day. Each week, one player will be named the Gatorade Girls Flag Player of the Week, and a $1,000 donation will be made in the player's name to support their high school's girls' flag football program.
Each week during the High School Girls Flag Football season, the Jets and Gatorade will recognize a Player of the Week. Throughout the season, the Jets will host Girls Flag teams from New York and New Jersey high schools to play a series of regular season games at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center, where the Player of the Week will be selected. The player will receive a $1,000 donation from the Jets and Gatorade in their name to support their high school's Girls Flag program and be honored on-field at the Jets Play Football Pre-season game.
2024 Winners
Week 1: Jaelyn Chin - Francis Lewis HS
Week 2: Ivy Matthews – Syosset HS
Week 3: Ma'Ziyah Richards – Plainfield HS
Week 4: Eleni Georgatos – Division Ave HS
Week 5: Cortni Vnencak – Montville HS
Week 6: Abby Hopf – Saugerties HS
Week 7: Fiona Helly – Wood-Ridge HS
Week 8: Emma Heaney – Plainview-Old Bethpage HS
In its second year, the Jets Girls Flag High School Coach of the Year Game Changer presented by Visa award is given to a coach in the Tri-State area who serves the best interests of the game through the teaching of sound football fundamentals, the motivation of young players to achieve and the promotion of youth football by way of dedication to their community, their school and their student-athletes. The coach will receive a $2,000 donation from the Jets and Visa in their name to support their high school's Girls Flag program and be honored on-field at the Jets Play Football Pre-season game.
2024 Winners
Week 1: Brian Kelly – Valley Stream Central HS
Week 2: Thomas Patierno – Essex Tech
Week 3: Dan Kesack – Lyndhurst HS
Week 4: Alyssa Gulino – North Babylon HS
Week 5: Michael Giles – Elizabeth HS
Week 6: Kyle Schneider – Pine Bush HS
Week 7: Antone Mayweather – South Bronx HS
Coach of the Year: Alec Abramowitz – Plainview-Old Bethpage HS
The Jets and Nike hosted high school girls flag players from NJ and NY leagues at MetLife Stadium for a media day event. Over 50 flag teams from local high school leagues were represented: Big Central Football Conference, New York State Public High School Athletic Association, North Jersey Interscholastic Conference, Public Schools Athletic League and the Super Football Conference fielded questions about the upcoming season from local media. Finally, the student athletes participated in photo/video shoots with Jets team photographers.
The Jets and Visa hosted a high school girls flag football tournament at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center with local girls flag teams. Each team played multiple games in pool play, followed by a championship game from the two groups. The games are played on a shortened field with scoring for touchdowns and PATs for the offense, while the defense can score with interceptions and turnover on downs. The winner of the tournament was given custom championship shirts and invited to our Jets Preseason Play Football themed game.
For 10 weeks during the football season, the Jets will announce a High School Coach of the Week for a coach in the tri-state area. This coach serves the best interests of the game through the teaching of sound football fundamentals, the motivation of young players to achieve, and the promotion of youth football by way of dedication to their community, their school and their student-athletes. Each week the winner is awarded a $1,000 grant for their high school's football program. In addition to the weekly award, a Coach of the Year is selected at the end of the high school season and awarded $2,000. All winners are honored on-field during a Jets regular season home game.
For 14 weeks during the high school football season, the Jets and Gatorade will honor a player of the week. The player will receive a $1,000 donation from the Jets and Gatorade in their name to support their high school football program. The player of the week will be announced on the Jets High School Football Hour with Mike Quick and Matt Simms fueled by Gatorade on 98.7 ESPN. The player will be recognized throughout the Jets social media platforms and in-stadium during Jets home games.
In August, as part of Play Football Month, The Jets, Nike, and North Jersey Super Football Conference hosted the sixth Annual Media Day at MetLife Stadium for the 112-team league. 320 high school players and coaches attended the event where they were made available to local high school football media outlets. As part of media the players participated in a Media Training, Sportsmanship and Q&A with Jets Legends Tony Richardson and Leger Douzable along with Jets Director of Communications Meghan Gilmore.
The Jets host a 48-team high school Nike 11-ON football tournament fueled by Gatorade. The event occurs at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center and is comprised of both a traditional 7v7 tournament, as well as a linemen challenge. The tournament is free of charge to all schools and participants receive a complimentary pair of Jets branded shorts and 11-ON shirts, courtesy of the Jets and Nike. The 7v7 and linemen challenge champions are invited to Jets home game and honored on-field prior to kickoff. Information for the 11-ON Tournament is made available in early spring. If interested in participating, please email youth_football@newyorkjets.com.
Annually, the Jets and Super Football Conference award a high school football player with the Steve DiGregorio Young Man of the Year Award. All 112 SFC schools nominate a football player who excels in: community service, selflessness over selfishness, creating a positive school/team environment, leadership on/off field, setting a positive example for teammates/peers and is in good academic standing. The Jets invite each nominee to attend a home regular season, where they are recognized on-field for their accomplishments. In the weeks following, eight finalists are invited back to MetLife Stadium for an event where the overall winner is announced.
In 2001, the New York Jets formed a community partnership with the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) to provide support to New York City public school football programs. Through an annual matching grant from the NFL Foundation, the New York Jets now donate $100,000 to PSAL football programs. The funding offsets the cost of reconditioning every student-athletes' helmet and has helped to create 15 new and developmental football teams. Beyond these grants, the Jets support the PSAL in a variety of other ways including honoring the PSAL football champions at a home game during the NFL season.
The New York Jets in collaboration with Special Olympics New Jersey have launched the Unified High School Flag Football League in New Jersey. Four high schools, Morris Knolls, Morristown, Roxbury, and West Orange competed in the inaugural season this spring. The teams kicked off the five-week season with a clinic at 1 Jets Drive and will wrap-up the season with championship games back in Florham Park.
The Jets create thousands of flag football opportunities for children ages 5-18 to enjoy America's favorite sport. Each year the Jets support 13 regional flag football champions in their journey to play for the NFL FLAG National Championship at the Pro Bowl Games. Teams receive grants for travel, tickets to a Jets game where they are recognized on the video board, swag bags, a recognition dinner at Pro Bowl and the opportunity to practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center prior to the National Championships. Through partnerships with the New York City Police Athletic League, New York City Parks and Recreation, NYC DOE's CHAMPS Sports and Fitness Program and Boys & Girls Clubs over 5,000 youth can play flag football at little to no cost.
Throughout the year, the Jets host youth girls flag football clinics for girls flag players ages 6-13. The programs have taken place at both MetLife Stadium and the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. The clinics have been led by coaches from RCX Sports and USA Football, while drills are led by local high school girls flag players. All participants receive custom Jets youth girls flag clinic shirts and other accessories.
In Spring 2023, the Jets and Nike launched a girls flag football league in London, UK. The league began with eight (8) schools in one borough and has expanded to nearly thirty teams across three (3) London boroughs in a year. The Jets and Nike provide uniforms, flag belts and equipment to all participating schools – as well as funding a kickoff/launch event and a championship wrap up event. In Spring 2025, the Jets will launch a girls flag football league in Dublin, Ireland.
Each year, the Jets and the Super Football Conference host local youth tackle football coaches for a coaching clinic. The program takes place at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center, where attendees partake in classroom work in the Jets team auditorium – followed by on-field work in the Jets fieldhouse. The program is led by high school football coaches from the Super Football Conference and strives to bridge the gap between youth tackle programs and their in-town high school tackle programs. The clinic is made free of charge for all participants.
The Jets and SportsNet New York (SNY) host a local youth football team for a clinic and a practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Current Jets players help run stations and hold a Q&A session with the team following the clinic. Each season, youth tackle programs can become eligible to participate in this experience by applying for an equipment grant. SNY accepts grant applications from youth football programs in the New York tri-state area with opportunities that may include a $5,000 grant award, donation of footballs, football clinic, tickets to see the New York Jets, and more. For more information on how to apply, visit sny.tv/events/playball.