Photo credit: GirlPower Flag Football

What happened: Midland is getting its first all-girls youth flag football league this fall. GirlPower West Texas will launch its inaugural season Sept. 13, giving girls from kindergarten through high school a league designed specifically for female athletes rather than the traditional co-ed format.

Registration is open now, and no previous football experience is required. The league will also host a free flag football clinic Aug. 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Scharbauer Sports Complex, 5514 Champions Dr., for girls interested in trying the sport before the season begins.

The big picture: GirlPower West Texas is an affiliate of the national GirlPower Flag Football organization, which was established in 2022 and is NFL-affiliated. The organization will offer fall and spring seasons in Midland.

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The inaugural fall season runs Sept. 13 through Nov. 8. Players will compete in an eight-game season, with games played Sundays between 2-5 p.m. at the Scharbauer Sports Complex. Registration includes an official GirlPower jersey.

The league is designed for girls trying football for the first time as well as experienced players looking for an all-girls environment in which to compete.

“This isn’t just a sports league,” GirlPower Flag Football West Texas Director JP Shoemaker said in a press release. “This is an investment in the next generation of female leaders and athletes right here in our community. We’re creating something that doesn’t exist anywhere else in Midland — a space where girls don’t just participate, they lead.”