NFL and USA Football partner with the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation to bring high school girls flag football to New Orleans

This year is the inaugural season of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation high school girls flag football league will begin at Pan American Stadium in City Park.  The 15-team league is part of an initiative created by the NFL, in conjunction with USA Football, to provide an opportunity for more high school girls to play football.  The NFL and USA Football have provided the flags, footballs, and jerseys that will be used throughout the season.  The Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and the Orleans Parish Athletic Department are managing the league in partnership with the New Orleans Saints, R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, and Radio Disney.

The NFL has recognized the growing demand for girls flag football to be recognized as a high school sport. This program identifies the desire girls have to be more involved in the sport of flag football, and helps girls across the country find an outlet to play a sport that they’re passionate about.

Schools participating in the program include: George Washington Carver, Joseph S. Clark, Walter L. Cohen, Warren Easton, Greater Gentilly, Edna Karr (2 teams), LB Landry, Thurgood Marshall, John McDonogh, McDonogh 35, Eleanor McMain, Priestly Charter, Sarah T. Reed, and O Perry Walker. 

For more information on this program or to join as a sponsor of the program, contact Jeremy Boyce – Director of Community Relations for the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation at jboyce@gnosf.org or 504-525-5678.  

GNOSF YOUTH LITERACY PROGRAMS

Junior Journalism Program
In an effort to professionally equip, cultivate and inspire at-risk youth, the GNOSF has created a media entoring program. Sports Foundation Junior Journalism Program participants are selectedby teachers and are credentialed as working press and granted all privileges and access for designated events. The kids learn real-world, media relations experience from a series of professional journalists who provide mentoring in the disciplines of TV, radio, print and photo journalism. The program has been held at events such as the NCAA Women's Final Four, HBCU All Star Classic, and the annual New Orleans Bowl.

GREATER NEW ORLEANS SPORTS FOUNDATION DISADVANTAGED YOUTH PROGRAMS

Conflict Resolution Program
In conjunction with the annual New Orleans Bowl, the GNOSF created a Crisis Intervention workshop designed to inspire, challenge, and teach at-risk youth the skills necessary to resolve their differences in a non-violent manner. The Sports Foundation works with national conflict resolution professionals to administer the program. The event is held on game-day at the Louisiana Superdome and all participants are guests at the Bowl Game.

Ticket Distribution Programs
The GNOSF distributes donated, discounted or complimentary, tickets to area at-risk youth for a majority of our events. In 2003, the Sports Foundation coordinated the distribution of over 2000 free tickets to New Orleans and Baton Rouge students for Emerils Grand BAM!, an exhibition tennis match with Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick. Every December, local youth have access to donated tickets to the annual New Orleans Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome.

Sports Clinics
The GNOSF conducts at-risk youth sports clinics in conjunction with every major event it is involved. During the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championships, the Men’s Final Four and the Women’s Final Four the Sports Foundation assisted the NCAA with youth clinics. All youth clinics were free to all who registered, and engaged kids in fun and challenging sports-skills, life skills and conditioning sessions conducted by top collegiate coaches and student-athletes. During the annual New Orleans Bowl, the GNOSF produces a football clinic conducted by area NCAA Football coaches.