AIA gets $100K from Nike for sport
The Arizona Interscholastic Association on Friday morning received a $100,000 check from Nike to be used for girls flag football, which begins as an AIA-sanctioned sport in the fall.
Flag football is starting workouts in Arizona this week for the spring club season. But next year, the AIA will organize schools’ tournament next fall, when the boys tackle football season is played.
“They had a $5 million grant, so any state association that either adopts it as a sanctioned sport or as an emerging sport can get $100,000, and that money can be used for the teams that jump in,” said David Hines, executive director of the AIA, who received the check during a downtown Phoenix presentation at the Sheraton Hotel.
Hines said he anticipates between 30 and 40 schools to take part in girls flag football next fall. He said the money will go to pay for those schools’ uniforms.
“It’s awesome,” Hines said. “Nike was awesome with that and all of the state associations for flag football. And they’re tied with the (NFL) Cardinals. They have been very engaging, very supportive, and very helpful.”
Riczer Desvaristes, who is the manager of youth football for the Arizona Cardinals, said there’s a been a big push with women’s initiative in football.
“We want to really give access to all girls to play football,” Desvaristes said. “We want to grow youth participation, and this is a really great opportunity to grow youth participation. And not only in the state of Arizona, but nationally. The Cardinals have been a big supportor of what we’re doing and excited to support the sport.
“With the support of Nike, they’ve done a great job. And I give credit to David Hines and his vision, and all of the atheltic directors.”
Enthusiasm for the sport, Hines said, has picked up since the AIA announced on Dec. 12 it was accelerating the process of sanctioning flag football.
“We’re getting calls all the time,” Hines said. “Schools from across the state are calling and going, ‘Hey, we want to jump in. Can we get in?’ Absolutely.