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Board hears proposal for girls flag football and formalizing unified track; members ask for budget details and vote to place on agenda
Summary
Athletic director Mr. Nolf proposed a PIAA/WPIAL girls flag football team for spring 2026 (estimated startup ~$14,000) and requested bringing the unified track program under the varsity umbrella so coaches can be stipped; board members asked for cost details and recommended placing both items on a future agenda.
Mr. Nolf presented a proposal to establish a girls flag football program at Kiski Area High School, telling the board that the sport is rapidly growing and that the district had more than 40 students express interest when polled. He described a likely spring 2026 season, a minimal roster of 15–20 players, two-coach staffing (head and assistant), and a startup budget "roughly gonna cost about $14,000 for us to start a girls flag football team." He said league affiliation would be PIAA/WPIAL and that the district would likely compete in an East Division with geographically proximate opponents.
Board members pressed on logistics and impact to other spring sports. A member asked whether the program would be limited to the high school; Mr. Nolf confirmed it would start at the high-school level with potential to trickle down to middle and elementary feeder programs. He also discussed grant opportunities through USA Football and startup assistance the Pittsburgh Steelers have offered to other programs; Mr. Nolf said the Steelers provided startup grants that have declined in amount since 2022 but could assist if the district commits.
On unified track, Mr. Nolf asked the board to consider placing the program under the varsity athletics umbrella so the district could provide a stipend to the current coach, Katie Hepler, rather than relying solely on Special Olympics stipends. He suggested a stipend comparable to the head middle-school volleyball coach rate ($2,532) as a possible starting point.
Superintendent Dr. Lohr and board members agreed to place both flag football and unified track on a future agenda for more detailed budget estimates, stipend recommendations and grant-seeking plans. The superintendent said staff will provide updated salary and funding information in a Friday update and prepare an agenda item for the board to consider.
No formal board approval of the program was recorded in the public portion of the meeting; the action taken was to place the items on a future agenda for formal consideration.
