Flag Football: George Fox Is Ready to Get in the Game

I’ll admit it: When I hear the phrase “flag football,” a certain scenario comes to mind – that of a pick-up game on the Friday after Thanksgiving, with a bunch of past-their-prime guys mixing it up using socks for “flags.” Their primary objective: Just try to avoid pulling a hammy or spraining an ankle while burning a few calories to make some amends for their overindulgence the day before.

But little did I realize the game has changed – in a big way.

No longer relegated to “Turkey Bowl” contests on a muddy local high school field, the sport has taken on a new identity and surged in popularity in recent years. And with that has come a new opportunity for athletes at the collegiate level.

Riding that wave, George Fox University will introduce women’s flag football in the spring of 2028, with the goal of giving female student-athletes an opportunity to compete in a fledgling sport, build community and camaraderie, and grow in their faith in a Christian college environment.

I asked Athletic Director Adam Puckett the rationale behind the decision, and his answer was threefold: The numbers make sense, the potential is enormous, and the opportunity to offer yet another sport that exposes young athletes to Christlike coaches and mentors was too good to pass up.

A Surge in Momentum

Women’s flag football is growing at a remarkable pace, particularly here in the West. In California, girls’ high school flag football participation has climbed to roughly 19,000 athletes – more than twice the number participating in girls’ lacrosse. And here in Oregon, the Oregon School Activities Association recently sanctioned the sport and already has more than 50 high school teams, while Washington has more than 100.

On a bigger scale, flag football will make its debut as an Olympic sport in 2028, and the NFL has invested heavily in the growth of the women’s game. In other words, this isn’t some passing fad that we expect to disappear after a season or two. Flag football is here to stay.

Here’s the part that really caught Puckett’s attention: There are thousands of young women playing flag football in the Northwest, but very few places for them to continue playing in college.

“We owe them more positions and opportunities to participate and play,” Puckett says, pointing not only to the growth of the sport but also to George Fox’s commitment to providing opportunities for women in athletics.

For him, it’s about meeting students where they are – and creating a place where they can continue doing something they love.

The Logistics of the Launch

So, what will this actually look like? George Fox will launch flag football as a club sport, with the goal of transitioning to NCAA Division III varsity status around 2030. That might sound like a technical distinction, but there’s a very practical reason for it: scheduling.

There simply aren’t enough NCAA Division III opponents in our immediate region yet, but there are plenty of club teams. That means our women will travel to places like Eugene, Seattle and Boise to play club squads, rather than expend an exorbitant amount of money to fly all over the country taking on Division III opponents. Eventually, the collegiate landscape will catch up to the popularity of the sport, Puckett says, leading to more local competition at the D-III level.

“It’s only a matter of time before our conference gets on board with this,” he says. “And when that happens, we’ll have plenty of competition locally. Beyond the popularity of the sport, it isn’t a costly investment – we have the facilities, and the equipment cost is low – so it also makes sense from a financial standpoint.”

This January, the NCAA will vote to decide whether women’s flag football will become an official championship sport at the Division III level. Puckett believes it will “100 percent pass.” He expects that other schools in the Northwest Conference will begin adding women’s flag football, too, and as more colleges launch programs and the NCAA establishes an official championship structure, the path to varsity competition becomes much clearer.

“The NCAA has never turned down a female sport – it would be bad for business,” he says. “So we suspect that when we start it and are successful at it, that there will be a push for every other school in our conference to add it in 2029 or 2030.

“We’re planning for a roster of about 30 athletes. We’ll provide uniforms, coaching and the resources needed to build a competitive collegiate program. The goal is to operate it much like our other athletic programs – just with some flexibility while the sport establishes itself in the Northwest.”

It’s About More Than Wins and Losses

This is the part of the story I like best. Puckett doesn’t look at adding a sport simply as a way to increase the number of teams on a spreadsheet. He sees athletics as a ministry.

“Sports are my ministry,” he says. “And it’s a cool ministry – a cool church of 600. I believe in what we’re doing. I believe in the ministry work we’re doing. I believe in the identity work we’re doing. I believe in the formation that we’re doing. So, if I can reach 30 more athletes who don’t have a home for competition and do something cool that I know is going to be successful, why wouldn’t I?”

That means adding 30 flag football athletes isn’t simply adding 30 names to a roster. It’s bringing 30 more women into a community where coaches can invest in them, teammates can encourage them, and their faith can be challenged and strengthened.

In short, at George Fox we believe sports can be a powerful expression of who we are as a Christian university. The field becomes another place where students can learn about leadership, perseverance, humility, teamwork and what it means to pursue excellence while keeping Christ at the center.

We Expect to Be Successful

There’s the ministry piece. And then there’s Puckett’s competitive nature. He has no intention of bringing flag football to George Fox just to participate.

Much like the STUNT program that launched in 2024 and won back-to-back national titles in 2025 and 2026, Puckett has an ambitious vision for this sport as well. When George Fox moves to varsity competition, he wants the Bruins to be the most dominant flag football program on the West Coast.

“That’s my goal,” he says. “Yes, it’s ambitious, but you have to go into it with that mentality.”

Already we are seeing interest. Not long after a press release went out announcing the launch, prospective athletes from Oregon, Washington, California, Colorado, Illinois and elsewhere began reaching out, including experienced flag football athletes and those who have played in tackle programs and are looking for an outlet to play the game. Still others are drawn by the prospect of competing in the sport they love at a Christian college.

And that’s perhaps the most exciting thing about it. We’re not simply adding a sport. We’re opening a door for young women to continue playing the game – or discovering a new sport – under the mentorship of quality individuals.

“As a university where women make up a majority of the student body, we are always looking for ways to create meaningful opportunities for female student-athletes,” Puckett says. “Flag football gives us a chance to do that while also stepping into a sport that is clearly gaining momentum.”

On the subject of coaches, a head coach has yet to be named, but Puckett isn’t concerned. He’ll have no trouble finding candidates.

“I’ve already had three people reach out to me who want to be the head coach,” he says. “For now, we’re sticking with internal candidates and plan to name who that person will be soon.”

A Chance to Build Something

So, if you’re a prospective athlete thinking about joining us in 2027 or 2028, come here knowing you have a chance to help build something – an opportunity to help establish the culture of a new program. You could help define what George Fox flag football becomes. Visit our athletics website to learn more.

Personally, I’m excited to see how this new chapter in Bruin athletics plays out.