The New York Jets commit to growing Flag Football

Having officially won their Girls UK Flag League, in conjunction with The Chicago Bears, The New York Jets are buzzing to continue growing the sport.

With their community work officially expanding into the UK, the 1969 Super Bowl champions are overwhelmed with the love the girls who competed in the competition have shown for the game.

Congratulations to @jets & @bears for a successful 1st season of the Jets & Bears Girls Flag League. And very well done to the inaugural champs in Ealing Fields School who represented the Jets. A fun opportunity for 120 girls aged 12-14 to compete in flag football. So good to see pic.twitter.com/FfRdSQCcwl

— Neil Reynolds (@neilreynoldsnfl) May 23, 2023

Following five epic weeks in which 120 girls competed in two conferences, only two teams remained to contest for the ultimate glory in the championship event.

Family and friends gathered at Ealing Trailfinders Club in anticipation of a spectacular day of entertainment.

Those in attendance were delighted to enjoy sausages and burgers on an American-style BBQ while they watched the fixture unfold.

With an unshakable desire to win, Ealing Fields School from the Jets Conference utilised their heart and positive team spirit to bag the victory.

They have now earned the right to play against a girls’ Flag team from Germany in October, to coincide with the London Games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Having seen just how far the girls have come, The New York Jets‘ Vice President of Community Relations can’t wait for what’s next.

Read: THE CHICAGO BEARS CONTINUE POSITIVE WORK IN THE COMMUNITY WITH SUCCESSFUL GIRLS FLAG LEAGUE

Jesse Linder plays a massive role in the positive impact the New York Jets are making

Jesse Linder does his utmost to help the community by involving himself deeply in the club’s core values.

As part of his philanthropy work, he helps those who need it access education and health care and introduce them to Flag Football.

Speaking exclusively to SPORF, he said: “I think our goal is to grow the game of youth football, especially flag football. It’s a sport that is accessible to everyone. There’s a very low-cost barrier. You need a pitch. And you need a ball. It’s not expensive like traditional tackle football.

“We want more eyeballs on it and to make sure participants get to develop skills in teamwork, dedication, leadership and resilience.” 

Jesse Linder wants the girls to have heroes to look up to

In this year’s Super Bowl, Diana Flores stole the show with an incredible commercial.

While being interviewed, a presenter tried to steal her flag. But impressively, the athlete managed to dodge the attempt.

Subsequently, an epic chase ensued in which Flores evaded a host of potential thieves.

The likes of MrBeast, her own mother and even a parrot-costume-wearing, Davante Adams, chanced their arm.

However, despite their best efforts, they failed to grab the elusive flags.

And it’s players like Flores that are inspiring the next generation.

The road to the Hall of Fame's new exhibit honoring Diana Flores' "Run With It" spot that aired during the Super Bowl began far before this year's Super Bowl.

Here's a behind the scenes look at the creation of the commercial. pic.twitter.com/8DbDkXYKhk

— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) May 24, 2023

Linder said: “What we’ve tried to do is provide role models. So domestically, we’ve done a number of different launch events with our girls’ Flag teams.

“We had Diana Flores’ counterpart, Vanita Krouch, at the Pro Bowl. One coached the AFC and the other coached the NFC. So we had Vanita, the USA national team quarterback, speak to all the girls.

“At our UK launch, we had some prominent females like Phoebe Schecter. She spoke to all the girls that participated in The Jets and Bears Girls League, so it’s finding those opportunities to showcase those who have made a huge success of participating in sports. We want to show that it’s a pathway for success for all the girls involved.”

New York Jets do their bit for mental health awareness

With depression still playing a devastating role in society, a New York Jets icon is determined to spread awareness.

Linder explained: “So we’ve started to work with a high school Football Conference here in the States. It’s actually the largest Football Conference in high school Football. There are about 113 teams, and we worked with one of our players, Solomon Thomas. Throughout the year, he visited multiple schools and gave talks about mental health and how it’s affected his life.”

The Community VP added: “He stresses how important it is that you’re not just training your body to be an athlete. You need to train your mind to not just handle what’s going on when you’re on the field, but how to handle stress off the field.

“We’ve really embraced Solomon’s message. And we’ve amplified it to these high school athletes. Youngsters must understand that they’re not alone, that there are people there to support them. There are places where they can get help.”

Featured Image Credit: NFL