MODIFYING FLAG FOOTBALL FOR GENDER EQUITABLE ENGAGEMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

Flag or touch football is a popular activity unit in American secondary physical education curricula. However, unlike other sports its stigmatization as a masculine-typed activity and frequent inequitable distribution of game play opportunities at the skill positions (e.g., receiver, quarterback) results in the marginalization of female students. This article synthesizes the literature concerning the teaching and learning of football in order to make a point that without major modifications, many female students will not enjoy football nor will they improve their skill execution and tactical understanding. The article continues with organizational, instructional, and game modifications to promote equitable engagement. Lastly, results of university physical education methods majors’ perceptions of the modifications are reported. At the conclusion of the football unit, males more strongly believed that teaching coeducational flag football would be more problematic; however, they also believed more strongly that the game must be modified in such situations and now knew more methods for doing so. Females also more strongly believed that the game must be modified and additionally felt more confident of successfully teaching it. At the start of the unit, female majors—as compared to their male classmates—rated themselves as less confident of successfully teaching football, rated themselves lower in skill level and knowledge, and more strongly believed that female students would be intimidated by differences in size, speed, and strength of male students. These differences were no longer statistically significant or had dissipated by the end of the unit.