First Down, Utah: Girls’ flag football makes historic debut

Park City High School Miners Club Girls Flag Football's historic first game. Photo: courtesy of Silvia Hebert

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — History was made on Monday night when the Park City High School Miners played their first games of girls’ flag football.

Maple Mountain High and Bingham High were excited to have won both games, hosted at Cottonwood High. That said, the Miners’ black team (junior varsity) and the Miners’ red team (varsity) were excited to participate and have this much-anticipated day in the books. These were the first girls’ flag football games in all of Utah.

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All photos: TownLift // Michele Roepke

In the video below, Park City High School Principal Caleb Fine, who traveled to the away games to lend support, led a standing ovation after the athletes shook hands with their opponents.

Fine told TownLift, “It was really great to see the girls get out there and compete, I’m super proud of them. We’re going to be hosting games next week in Park City, so it’ll be a lot of fun to have this great sport and wonderful level of play on Dozier Field.”

“Coach Miller and Coach Heaney have done a fantastic job getting this club sport up and running. We’re grateful they’ve initiated this and happy that so many of our athletes can take part.”

Coach Miller is a paraprofessional who works at Ecker Middle School. Coach Brandon Heaney is a Park City resident and a retired football player from BYU. “It’s great to see them giving back to their community.” Fine said.

Fine concluded by saying, “We are lucky to get to play all of our UHSAA (Utah High School Athletics Association) sports but just as important are these sports like, starting tonight, flag football, as well as our other club sports including hockey, water polo, and mountain biking. We’re glad that we have the ability to support club sports.”  

Mens and womens flag football will make it’s Games debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics.

Senior PCHS student-athlete Renee Herbert is one of the team captains of this flag football team. She’s played soccer, basketball, and plays lacrosse utilizing all those crossover skills in this new sport which her mom Silvia, happily spending her birthday in the stands told TownLift, “She absolutely loves flag football, even a little more than she loved all the others, this has become her favorite sport.”

Hebert made two extra points in the game following two touchdowns made by Dax Marshall.

During last night’s games the coaches, players, and perhaps more so, the referees, used this big night as a teaching opportunity for both sides to learn the rules and regulations of this new-to-Utah sport together as they communicated concisely and consistently throughout the games.

The novelty of it all is not lost on player parent Laura Coney whose senior daughter Annabelle brings her PCHS soccer and volleyball skills over to flag football. Coney told TownLift, “The sense of  community among this group is amazing. Everyone feels the special moment were in and we are so thankful for the high standard of coaching. Flag football is a great addition to the Miners sports legacy.”