The Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS) will offer flag football to sixth, seventh and eighth-grade girls next school year. The sport will be available to play at all four middle schools. The addition of girls’ flag football brings the number of sports offered at the middle school level to six: flag football, football, softball, cheerleading, basketball and track and field.
GSCS District Athletic Director Bill Stikes stated, “We are excited to announce the addition of middle school flag football for the 2025-2026 school year. This addition helps us expand our offerings and continue to meet student interest for expanded sports at the middle school level. GSCS believes in education-based athletics and we want to expand our participation to help students learn skills like hard work, perseverance and discipline that our coaches teach throughout the district.”
Over 300 high schools in Georgia now sponsor flag football, making it the fastest growing sport in the state. Both GSCS high schools added girls' flag football in the last five years. Spalding County Parks and Recreation will also begin a new flag football program this fall at the under four, under six, under eight and under 10 age groups. With the addition of flag football at the middle school level, students will now be able to participate in flag football programs in the community from the age of four through 18.
The addition of flag football follows a stakeholder survey done during the 2024 fall semester to examine current sport offerings to 5th-11th grade students. In the survey, football, basketball and track and field were identified as the sports middle school students are most interested in, which are all already offered by GSCS at the middle school level. Flag football and soccer had the next highest interest which have not been offered by GSCS for middle schools.
“GSCS Athletics conducted a review of current facilities and athletic department capabilities, as well as current opportunities for students to participate in the sport outside of school. Based on opportunities present in our community and the current facility needs, we decided that flag football was the best addition. Although soccer will not be added for next school year, it will be reconsidered as a candidate for expansion for 2026-2027. GSCS Athletics will continue to look for ways to expand offerings to meet the needs and interests of our students,” stated GSCS District Athletic Director Bill Stikes.