Prince Frederick, Maryland, May 27, 2025 — The Baltimore Ravens are expanding their girls’ flag football initiative to Southern Maryland, hosting three free “learn to play” clinics at Calvert and Charles County high schools starting today, May 27, at Calvert High School. The clinics, designed to build skills for female student-athletes ahead of the 2025–26 varsity season, mark a significant step in growing the sport across Maryland.
The first clinic will take place at Calvert High School, 12101 Clarksville Pike, Clarksville, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The Ravens will continue the series at Maurice J. McDonough High School, 165 Marshall Corner Rd, Pomfret, on June 3, and North Point High School, 2500 Davis Rd, Waldorf, on June 5, both from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Each session will be led by local high school coaches and USA Football-certified instructors, focusing on foundational skills, teamwork, and game strategies to prepare students for the inaugural varsity girls’ flag football season in Calvert and Charles counties this fall.
The initiative, supported by the Ravens and Under Armour, follows a successful pilot program launched in Frederick County in 2023, which grew to 53 teams across four Maryland counties by 2024. Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) will introduce varsity girls’ flag football at all six of its high schools—McDonough, North Point, St. Charles, La Plata, Thomas Stone, and Westlake—competing in the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference (SMAC) alongside Calvert County teams.
Each CCPS high school has received a $5,000 grant from the Baltimore Ravens Limited Partnership, along with footballs, flag belts, and 30 uniforms per school provided by Under Armour, including home and away jerseys and matching shorts. Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) will also offer the sport, with preparations underway at schools like Calvert High, which has established a team webpage to support the program.
The clinics aim to gauge interest, identify potential players, and build excitement before formal tryouts. The Ravens’ broader effort, which began with a 2022 clinic hosting over 100 high school females, has expanded to 51 schools across Baltimore City, Montgomery, Frederick, and Washington counties, with Southern Maryland now joining the movement.
The push for girls’ flag football aligns with national trends, as the sport gains recognition through NFL endorsements and its inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. In Maryland, the Ravens have partnered with local school districts to provide equitable athletic opportunities, fostering skills like leadership and confidence. The SMAC will oversee the league’s operations, ensuring standardized rules, while a postseason playoff format will connect teams statewide, increasing visibility for the sport.
Southern Maryland’s youth programs, such as the Southern Maryland Youth Flag Football League (SMYFFL) in Waldorf and the Calvert Youth Flag Football League, have laid the groundwork for this expansion. SMYFFL, the largest NFL Flag-affiliated league in Maryland, offers an all-girls division, while the Calvert league includes a competitive 14U girls’ division. BHC, an elite all-girls program in Southern Maryland, further prepares athletes for high-level competition, with three teams set to compete in the Junior Olympics in Houston this summer.
Both counties are actively hiring head coaches, with job listings available through the Charles County Public Schools and Calvert County Public Schools hiring portals. The Ravens’ commitment includes ongoing support, with players like Marlon Humphrey and Tavius Robinson previously leading drills at similar clinics, emphasizing the sport’s growth potential.
The Ravens aim to make girls’ flag football a state-sanctioned sport, building on the success of clinics and the expanding varsity programs to create lasting opportunities for female athletes in Maryland.
