The college is the state’s first two-year college to establish a women’s flag football team and is among the first 10 two-year colleges in the country to do so.
Jackson State Community College has established a women’s flag football team. Beginning in the spring of 2027, the team will start competing, following a year of player recruitment and a search for a head coach. The addition of a women’s flag football team is supported by a grant from the NJCAA Foundation in partnership with the National Football League (NFL) FLAG and Reigning Champs Experiences.
According to an article on Jackson State Community College’s website, Dr. Kevin K. Lynum, who serves as the college’s Athletic Director, was quoted as saying of the new sports team, “We are honored to be selected for this grant and thrilled to introduce flag football at Jackson State. Becoming the first two-year college in Tennessee to offer this sport is a testament to our vision of innovation, opportunity, and equity in athletics. We are positioning our students to compete at a high level—regionally and nationally.”
The team will be able to compete against other flag football teams at NJCAA colleges, which include both two- and four-year institutions. This will allow the college to gain increased exposure and potentially draw in more female athletes who will be more interested in the college with its new offering.
Dr. Carol Rothstein, the college’s president, said, “We are committed to providing a top-tier athletic experience to our student-athletes and to be a destination for the best talent across the region and country. The addition of women’s flag football gives us the opportunity to provide yet another platform for student-athletes to compete at the collegiate level while representing our institution.”
The $5,000 grant was given to the college by the NJCAA Foundation, working in collaboration with the National Football League (NFL) FLAG and Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX). NFL FLAG is NFL-licensed and is a league of no-contact flag football for kids up to age 17. RCX works to improve accessibility and inclusivity in youth sports.
Andrew Givens, the NJCAA Foundation’s Executive Director, said, “The NJCAA Foundation is passionate about the value women’s flag football brings to institutions’ overall growth, the student-athlete experience, and equality across playing fields. This is an opportunity for women of the association to compete at the highest level, and we are fortunate to work hand in hand with NFL FLAG and RCX Sports during this exciting time.”
For more information about Jackson State Community College, visit the school’s website.