Several North Texas school districts will launch girls flag football programs this spring with the support of the Dallas Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott.

Why it matters: Women’s sports are growing in Dallas-Fort Worth, from soccer to rugby to flag football.

• The Cowboys timed their announcement of the statewide flag football program to coincide with Women’s History Month, which began Saturday.

The big picture: Texas’ University Interscholastic League (UIL) doesn’t formally consider it a high school sport, but flag football has grown nationwide as another option for female athletes.

• This year, the NCAA’s Atlantic East Conference introduced women’s flag football. Men’s and women’s flag football will also debut at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

How it works: The new statewide program features 7-on-7 play, with teams divided into regional leagues. The Star in Frisco will host some of the games.

• The season will continue through May, concluding with a championship tournament at Ford Center in Frisco.

Zoom in: There are 54 teams from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including 22 from Dallas ISD, 15 from Fort Worth ISD and two Uplift Education campuses.

• The districts participating in the program will receive grants to pay for coaches, uniforms and equipment. Nike will provide the jerseys.

What they’re saying: “Football has given me so much. Now, as a ‘Girl Dad’ myself, I want to thank the girls for paving the way today, and for breaking barriers to grow the game,” Prescott said in a statement.

• Dallas ISD superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said she’s counting on one of the district’s schools to “bring home the first girls flag football state championship in Texas history.”

Flashback: Fort Worth ISD was one of the first public school systems in Texas to launch a girls flag football program in 2022, per the Cowboys. More than 300 athletes competed that year.

Zoom out: The NFL has been working since 2016 to encourage more girls nationwide to play flag football.

• Flag football is now a varsity sport in 14 states and at over 50 colleges and universities, per the Cowboys.
• The UIL told the DMN last year that flag football has been on its radar for years, but more schools needed to establish programs for the league to consider sanctioning the sport in Texas.

What’s next: Nike will host a girls flag football kickoff on March 22 at Frisco’s B.F. Phillips Park, where teams will play in exhibition games ahead of their inaugural season.