The David & Nicole Tepper Foundation announced on May 7 a $1 million commitment to support girls high school flag football programs in North Carolina and South Carolina.
This announcement follows a recent vote by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association to officially sanction girls flag football as a varsity sport. The funding will be distributed as grants directly to schools, aiming to encourage further growth of the sport across both states.
“Yesterday marked a landmark moment for girls’ athletics in North Carolina as the NCHSAA officially sanctioned girls flag football,” said David and Nicole Tepper. “This is more than the introduction of a new sport – it’s a legacy change that will open doors for generations of young women to compete, grow, and thrive. We’re deeply grateful for the dedication and partnerships with school districts that made this milestone possible and remain committed to expanding the same opportunity in South Carolina so young women across both states can experience the access and transformative power of flag football for years to come.”
Since 2022, The David & Nicole Tepper Foundation along with the Carolina Panthers have invested over $1.5 million in grants, programming, and resources toward expanding girls flag football throughout North and South Carolina. Prior to official sanctioning, 154 high schools in North Carolina and 55 in South Carolina had already committed teams for the upcoming season. The Panthers are known for their community outreach efforts throughout both states, according to the official website.
With this week’s vote, North Carolina became the 22nd state nationwide where girls flag football is recognized as a varsity sport. Flag football is also set to debut at the Los Angeles Summer Olympics in 2028.
Nicole Tepper discussed these developments during an appearance on Good Morning Football: “The opportunity to give female athletes the resources that they need to succeed is very, very important to us, so we support that wholeheartedly.” She continued: “Flag football is something that’s up and coming. It’s going to be in the Olympics, and so we’re just excited for being able to give the resources that these teams, schools need in funding. So we’re excited to be a part of it and be able to give back.” Information about how schools can apply for grant funding will be released early next year.
