In a move that signals both cultural momentum and real investment, Under Armour and The DICK’s Sporting Goods Foundation have teamed up to commit $1 million to the Click Clack: Next Era Grant, a new initiative designed to accelerate the growth of girls flag football across the United States. Delivered by Beyond Sport, the grant is not just about funding. It is about shifting who gets to play and how far they can go.
At its core, the program addresses the barriers that have historically kept girls on the sidelines. Limited resources, restricted access to quality coaching, and uneven institutional support have all played a role. The response is comprehensive. Financial backing for programs, high performance gear, and coach education powered by Positive Coaching Alliance, because developing athletes also means developing the people who guide them.
“Expanding access to sport is core to who we are,” says Flynn Burch, Under Armour Director of Global Community Impact and UA Next. “This is about creating spaces where girls do not just participate. They belong.”
And girls flag football is no passing trend. It is one of the fastest growing sports in the country, with participation rising at youth, high school, and collegiate levels. What once lived on the recreational margins is quickly becoming a pipeline that builds confidence, leadership, and community in equal measure.
Rick Jordan of The DICK’s Sporting Goods Foundation puts it simply. Sport connects. “This program helps ensure more young athletes can play, stay engaged, and grow with their teams,” he says.
The ambition goes beyond weekend games and after school programs. The Click Clack: Next Era Grant also supports school districts and state associations working to officially sanction girls flag football at the high school level. That means legitimacy, long term growth, and greater equity across the sport.
The initiative is already in motion. At the Super Bowl LX Fan Experience in San Francisco, Under Armour and USA Football will host a girls flag football clinic, bringing 80 students from Oakland Unified School District into the experience. Participants will be fully outfitted, trained, and invited to attend a USA versus Mexico flag football game later that day. It is access, visibility, and opportunity all at once.
Step back and the vision becomes clear. This is about building an ecosystem where girls can show up, develop their skills, and expand their sense of what is possible.
Because when you invest in the game, you grow the players. And when you grow the players, you change the game.
