Flag football flourishing at Bethel Park
Bethel Park is in its first year of competing in girls flag football this spring. The Lady Hawks will host a showcase on May 5. Games will be played starting at 1 p.m. at Bethel Park Stadium. The Steelers mascot and players will make an appearance as Pittsburgh and the NFL are sponsors of the newly founded league that is looking to become a sanctioned sport in the PIAA as well as eventually in the WPIAL.
Vinny Ziccardi has coached under Nick Saban at Alabama and Mack Brown at Texas but the former skipper at Coral Springs High School hasn’t had a better assignment than his most recent gig at Bethel Park High School. The Florida native is the head coach of the Lady Hawks’ flag football team.
While this is the inaugural season for the Lady Hawks, flag football is in its infancy in Western Pennsylvania. There are as many as 103 schools statewide that sponsor clubs so the PIAA may be looking to move forward with female flag football as the next emerging sport after having sanctioned girls wrestling the year prior.
“Excitement is growing for the sport,” said Ziccardi. “We’re giving more girls an outlet to play a sport and (at Bethel Park) we’re building a culture from the ground floor.”
While not yet a sanctioned WPIAL sport, girls flag football is an NFL-sponsored scholastic activity. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles have supplied the teams in the western and eastern portions of the state with uniforms. They have paid for travel expenses and coaches’ stipends as well as supplied the equipment, including flags and footballs.
“The school teams have not had to pay a single dime,” Ziccardi said. “The (Steelers) want this game to grow.”
Flag football has grown in other regions of the country. Colleges like the University of Florida, NAIA schools, and even St. Vincent in Latrobe, offer scholarships. Plus, the sport will be introduced for the first time during the 2028 Summer Olympics. Two events, one for men and one for women, will be held during the Games held in Los Angeles.
“Momentum is building. Excitement is through the roof,” Ziccardi said.
Bethel Park is thrilled to be hosting a showcase May 5. All eight teams in the South Division, including neighboring rivals such as Upper St. Clair, Mt. Lebanon and South Fayette, will participate. Games will be played at 1 and 3 p.m.
Several Steelers and the mascot, Steely McBeam, will make guest appearances during the event.
Additionally, the league will conduct championships on May 19 at Carnegie Mellon University. The top three teams in each division (North, South, East, West and Central) qualify for the tournament.
At 2-2 overall and with six games to play on their 10-match schedule, the Lady Hawks are in contention for a playoff spot.
“It’s been a tremendous experience so far,” Ziccardi said. “It’s been a fun environment. We’re teaching the basics and each week we are getting better and more knowledgeable.
“For a while there it felt like everything was rushed because we were playing catch-up,” he continued. “You might know football but you don’t know it until you play it. As we have developed, you can see the growth and the confidence in the girls. It’s been awesome.”
Ziccardi is pleased not only with the Lady Hawks’ display of talent but with their flexibility as well. This spring, there have been many rule changes and adaptations to the game.
Last year, action was 5-on-5. This year, it’s 7-on-7.
The field’s dimensions are now 35 yards wide instead of 30. The length is 56 yards.
Games consist of two, 20-minute halves. Halftime lasts 5 to 7 minutes. Unless there is overtime, which is sudden-death, games conclude within an hour.
There is no kicking and no field goals. Teams score from running on offense, from an interception on defense or by passing.
“There is a no-run zone,” Ziccardi explained.
“They want you to throw the ball,” he added. “So you have to understand the rules and knowledge to use the rules to your advantage.”
Because most teams entering the league, like Bethel Park, only learned they would be fielding squads this spring, they were at a disadvantage in scheduling practice time. There is limited access to the stadium because of track meets, lacrosse matches and other spring activities. As a result, the Lady Hawks may practice two days a week to prepare for their matches, which are played on Sundays because there is no conflict with other sports.
“We are not a WPIAL sport so we do not have priority,” Ziccardi said. “We understand where we are and for the most part everyone has been accommodating.”
The Lady Hawks have been welcoming. The team consists of players that have never competed in sports before as well as with seasoned veterans, some of whom are going on to compete in college in their designated athletic endeavor.
“We are giving girls another outlet and providing a fun environment in which to compete,” Ziccardi said.
Ziccardi sees flag football enhancing, rather than detracting, from other sports, particularly the spring activities like track. He noted how expensive AAU volleyball and basketball have become, particularly with travel expenses, and proposes flag football as a bridge.
“Unless you are that one percent that’s going on to play at a higher level, flag football can be a way to stay in shape and still train and not lose anything. It can help other sports if coaches work together and can be flexible. There are plenty of examples of football players going out for track with their buddies.
“Flag football is that avenue into or entry way into another sport. It’s better for other sports and a great way to build up flag football.”
In his efforts to formulate a team, Ziccardi did not have to establish a positive attitude at Bethel Park. Nor did he have to instill desire in his players. Since he moved into the community last August, he noticed that is an innate trait among its citizens.
“There is a vibe here,” Ziccardi said. “I am able to coach a different type of kid because of that. We have tough girls. They get knocked down, but get back up. They don’t shy away from a challenge. They put themselves and bodies on the line. They want to win. They are relentless.
“They are just as fierce as the boys and they don’t back down. They are creating excitement for a sport that is growing. It’s tremendous. We’re giving more girls an outlet to play and we’re building a culture.”
There are 11 seniors on this year’s squad: Etta Jackson, Lily Sierka, Alex Francus, Emerson Crawford, Brooklyn Jones, Essa George, Grace Lindblom, Sam Kern, Katie Clouston, Faith Clunan and Brooke Kessler. They are pioneers.
“It’s a little bittersweet for the seniors because they have gotten in on the ground floor but in the long-term they are doing something good for girls sports and building up a program and creating an atmosphere where other girls will want to come out and compete and win games. While the ultimate goal is to get into the playoffs, the immediate goal is to grow week to week. We don’t want to sacrifice short-term goals for long-term ones. We want to make this a sport that is not a fun hobby,” Ziccardi stressed.
“These girls are part of something special because this will grow. One day, they will look back and say, ‘I was on that team and look at it now.'”
Ziccardi has a vested interest in seeing flag football flourish. In addition to being a physical education and health teacher at Perry High School, he is married to the former Lauren Ziegler, who was a cheerleader at Seton LaSalle High School and Slippery Rock University. He is also a father to two-year-old daughter, Capri.
Ziccardi noted how last year, she was strapped to his chest while he coached. Today, Capri runs around, pulls flags, yells words of encouragement and enjoys watching practices and games.
“She’s why I want to do this,” Ziccardi said. “I imagine in 10 years, it will be her turn to ball and she will have had great role models. Not just watching boys but seeing the girls play,” he said. “She will be just as fierce and won’t need to back down. She will have so many more opportunities because of the girls who have gone before her and played.”