Foundation Academies Makes HERstory with Conference Championship Season, As NJSIAA Officially Sanctions Girls Flag Football
HERstory has officially been made.
In the program’s inaugural season, the Foundation Academies Varsity Girls Flag Football team captured the Penn Jersey Athletic Association Conference League Championship, completing an unforgettable first year for the program.
Led by Coach Chestnut and Coach Stokes, the Knights embraced every challenge this season with determination, resilience, and heart. Week after week, the team continued to grow stronger, build momentum, and prove themselves among the top teams in the conference. From embracing the underdog role on the road to delivering in high-pressure moments, this team consistently rose to the occasion and represented Foundation Academies with pride.
The program was built on one central message from day one:
You belong. You are capable. You have championship caliber inside of you.
And now, that belief is forever cemented with a Penn Jersey Athletic Association Conference League Championship.
This championship season comes during a monumental moment for girls athletics across New Jersey. Recently, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) officially voted to sanction girls flag football as a varsity sport beginning in the 2026–27 school year, marking a major milestone for the continued growth of the sport statewide.
Foundation Academies was proudly represented during this HERstory-making moment as Foundation Academies Senior Director of External Strategic Partnerships & K-12 Athletics Director John Paxton Jr. attended and cast a historic ballot at the NJSIAA meeting. Foundation Academies was present for the historic vote officially recognizing girls flag football as a sanctioned varsity sport in New Jersey.
“Watching the official sanctioning of girls flag football while simultaneously watching our scholars build a championship program in its inaugural season was an incredibly powerful moment,” said John Paxton Jr. “This is bigger than football. This is about opportunity, representation, leadership, and creating spaces where young women can thrive, compete, and make history. I could not be prouder of our scholars, coaches, and everyone who helped bring this vision to life.”
The timing makes this season even more meaningful. In the same year that girls flag football reached a new level across the state, Foundation Academies launched its inaugural program and immediately established a championship standard.
More than wins and trophies, this team inspired younger scholars, created unforgettable memories, and helped pave the way for the bright future of Foundation Academies Athletics.
Congratulations to our scholar-athletes, coaches, families, and supporters on a truly unforgettable season.
The first-ever Foundation Academies Girls Flag Football team will forever be remembered as champions — and as HERstory makers.
