CHICAGO PUBLIC LEAGUE, WINTRUST AND USA FOOTBALL PARTNER FOR HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL SUMMER LEAGUE AND CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. & CHICAGO, ILL. – The Chicago Public League (CPL) in partnership with USA Football, will host the first-ever High School Girls Flag Football Summer League Championships events July 27 at the historic Winnemac Stadium. In addition to USA Football, Wintrust will be sponsoring this inaugural summer league. 

The summer league features more than 200 student-athletes from across Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and helps students and teams gain key skills and gameplay experience prior to the fall season. 

Trailblazing USA Football U.S. National Team Alumni will be joining the student-athletes on Thursday to share their support for High School Girls Flag Football in Chicago, including Darcy Leslie (2022), Jamie Menzyk (2010, 2013; Championship MVP 2010 & 2013), Brandy Hatcher (2013), Keesha Brooks (2010, 2013) and Elizabeth Okey (2013). 

“We are so excited to provide this incredible summer flag football league to our student-athletes,” said JULIANA ZAVALA, Senior Manager of Flag Football and Elementary Sports at Chicago Public Schools. “Thank you to Wintrust and USA Football for sponsoring this league and for helping our student-athletes continue to make history through the sport of flag football.” 

“USA Football believes in creating more ways for young athletes to enjoy the fun, fitness and friendships football offers,” said USA Football CEO SCOTT HALLENBECK. “We’re grateful to USA Football board member Elizabeth Oakey and Wintrust for their generous donation to bolster the Chicago Public League’s summer programming. Partnering with like-minded organizations and outstanding individuals in the football community is one of several methods we use to deliver on our promise of Football For All®.” 

In 2021, The Chicago Bears, USA Football, Nike and the Chicago Public League partnered to start the first ever high-school flag football league in the state of Illinois. Now entering its third year, the league consists of more than 100 teams across CPS and the surrounding suburbs, with the goal of becoming an official Illinois High School Association (IHSA) sanctioned sport in 2024. 

For any media interested in attending the semifinal and championship games of the summer league, please review the schedule below and reach out to Joey Gelman, Sports Communications Manager at CPS, jdgelman@cps.edu.  

Event Details: July 27, 2023 

Semi Final Game at 6 p.m. at Winnemac Stadium 

Championship Game at 7 p.m. at Winnemac Stadium 

About Chicago Public Schools & the Chicago Public League: The Chicago Public Schools services over 300k students across Chicago and The Chicago Public League is the official interscholastic athletics league for high school sports programs, providing all students - regardless of race, gender, or ethnicity - opportunities to develop physically, mentally, and emotionally in controlled, safe activities outside of the traditional classroom. Learn more at www.cpsathletics.com. 

About USA Football: USA Football is the governing body of American football in the United States, the sole US member of the International Federation of American Football, and a recognized sports organization of the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Its non-profit mission includes designing and delivering premier educational, development, and competitive programs for American football, including tackle and flag football. USA Football is the only organization that selects and organizes men’s and women’s US National Teams in federation-sanctioned international competition.