Plum adds girls flag football team for this spring

By: Michael Love
Saturday, February 3, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Seventeen schools throughout the Pittsburgh region were part of a high school girls flag football league last spring.

The success of the league, entering its third season in 2024, has spurred other schools to get involved.

That energy and interest has grown at Plum for several years, and now a flag football program at the school is a reality.

A group of Mustangs players will be part of the league, sponsored and run by the Pittsburgh Steelers, as it returns in April.

“I am grateful and thrilled the school district was in support of this growing sport,” said Fran Sciullo, a principal at Holiday Park Intermediate School who has been with the Plum Borough School District for 24 years as a secondary teacher and more than 18 years as a school administrator.

“As a district, we continue to look for ways to expand student academic and athletic opportunities. These opportunities allow our students to both experience and walk away with the skills we hope will transfer into their daily lives. This includes commitment, communication, resiliency, support and teamwork.”

Sciullo will coach the team with James Horwatt, a school police officer with the district for the past five years.

Sciullo has organized fall and spring NFL flag football programs for the Sampson Family YMCA in Plum and has coached more than 15 flag football teams.

The Plum School Board approved the program at its meeting Jan. 23 and also approved Sciullo and Horwatt as coaches.

“We are thankful the Plum Borough School Board, athletic director Drew Karpen and the administration were in support of the team creation,” said Horwatt, also an assistant coach for the Burrell Middle School football team the past three years.

“We are now tasked with building a new sport from the ground up. Time will be an important factor.”

Horwatt said he saw the passion for flag football among the girls he coached on the Plum Middle School Powder Puff team the past two years.

“Flag football has been a part of the Plum community for quite some time, including the YMCA fall and spring NFL flag program,” Horwatt said. “The history of the Plum Powder Puff experience is now a part of both the middle and high school. The excitement and participation is there. Now it is a great opportunity to grow the high school team for the upcoming season.”

Horwatt and Sciullo said the reality of the program and the team will progress over the next several weeks through continued communication with girls who are interested in playing, flag clinics, open gyms and eventual team formation early next month.

“We are expecting a decent interest and turnout by the girls,” Sciullo said.

Spring league rosters are between seven and 25 players in grades nine through 12. Games are 7-on-7.

The season runs from April 1 through May 19.

Newly formed school programs receive a $3,000 stipend from the Steelers Youth Football Fund to help with coaching, transportation and uniform fees.

All flag belts and footballs also are provided by the Steelers.

“The Steelers have been fantastic in supporting Plum’s efforts,” Sciullo said.

Sciullo said Plum is awaiting word from the Steelers on section creation for the spring season. Natural rivals Gateway and Penn Hills return to the league, and other schools such as Oakland Catholic, Ellis and Woodland Hills fielded teams for the 2023 league season.

“We have watched highlights from previous seasons, and we’re looking forward to competing against the other local teams, especially Penn Hills and Gateway, and creating new rivalries,” Horwatt said.

“With this program being new, building a team culture is our first priority,” Sciullo said.

“To play the likes of both Penn Hills and Gateway will add another dimension to the already competitive rivalry with Plum and our neighboring school districts.”

There is no fall season, Sciullo said, but any interested girl will have the opportunity to play in one of the several flag leagues in the greater Allegheny County and Westmoreland County region.

“At some point down the road, we hope to involve the team in local flag tournaments,” Sciullo said.

Flag football, Sciullo said, is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States. It now is part of the Summer Olympics, and the NFL has made it a big part of its Pro Bowl Games festivities in Orlando.

“We believe it is only a matter of time until it is officially recognized by the PIAA as a girls high school sport,” Sciullo said.

Horwatt said flag football gives female athletes who want to participate in the game a great alternative to tackle football.

“Flag football is extremely competitive and requires speed, athleticism, mental and physical toughness and dedication,” Horwatt said.

“I have personally witnessed our female student-athletes with these skills. I am extremely excited about this opportunity to coach this team.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Plum