Hawaiʻi Pacific University will be rolling out a first this semester: the state’s only collegiate flag football team for women.
HPU Athletic Director Debbie Snell and new head coach Kanda Korver joined HPR to talk about this inaugural flag football program.
“We really are supporting women athletes,” Snell opened. “So that's what we want to do: provide more opportunities for participation for young women in athletics.”
The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education made flag football an official sport for high school girls in 2024. Since then, passion for the sport among female student-athletes has only grown, according to Snell. She said the HPU board was open to starting the program.
“Because who would be on this island and not know that flag football is a growing, booming sport that women are all all over the place playing? You see it,” she told HPR.
“All you have to do is open your eyes and you see that it's growing and people are excited.”
Korver served as assistant coach for the varsity girls' flag football program at Kamehameha School Kapālama while also coaching intermediate girls' soccer.
“I wish they had this when I was an athlete. That's literally exactly what I thought,” Korver said about the program.
“It's just so cool to see female athletes go out on the field and play a very traditionally male-driven sport, and it's really fun just to see the athletes get so excited by the game and to also see them grow in a new space that they never thought they might feel comfortable in.”
Those interested in sponsoring the new inaugural HPU women’s flag football team can find more information here.
Disclosure: Hawaiʻi Pacific University is an underwriter of HPR.
This story aired on The Conversation on Aug. 11, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Jinwook Lee adapted this story for the web.
