Suburban teams prepping for first season of IHSA flag football

Preparations are underway for more than 150 Illinois flag football teams as the 2024 season approaches.

With just over a month to go before the season starts, girls flag football readies for its first year as an official IHSA sport.

“It’s more intense,” said Layah Glover, a senior running back and wide receiver at Round Lake. “Now there’s an actual state game. There are more games, more people and the stakes are just higher this year.”

Girls flag football got started in Illinois thanks in large part to the Chicago Bears, who provided gear for the 22 teams who played in the inaugural 2021 season.

This season, teams will play between 22 and 25 games. Two games will be played on Saturday and each team will play one game during the week.

Practice starts Aug. 12 and the first official games are played on Aug. 26.

“We wanted to prove that there was an appetite for the sport, that the girls would love the sport, that they would be successful, and that the sport was necessary,” said Bears manager of youth and high school football Gustavo Silva.

Teams gained offensive and defensive coordinators this summer, helping to fill out the staff and provide focused coaching for players.

“We’ve really been working very hard on concepts, formations, verbal calls and everything like that,” said Marli Smrz, a Willowbrook junior captain who plays quarterback, receiver and safety for the Warriors. “It’s definitely changed quite a bit from last season.”

Glover echoed this, noting the presence of an offensive coach “helps a lot.”

Liz Pettinger, Smrz’s teammate at Willowbrook, is entering her second year with the team as a receiver, cornerback and safety.

“Teams are getting better, the game is developing, it’s more fast-paced,” Pettinger said. “So the way that we play defense has to be stepped up with the way the game is being played.”

The Bears hosted 16 girls flag football teams at the Nike 11-on-11 camp in July and a clinic Wednesday at McHenry.

“We’ve brought in strong role models for our girls to see that there is a path for them and there is a place to go,” Silva said. “Obviously now that it’s at the collegiate level and then it’s at the Olympic level, the sky is the limit for them.”

Warriors coach Rachel Karos led her squad to a state title in the team’s opening 2022 season.

Willowbrook will host the IHSA finals this season Oct. 18-19.

“Our girls will always compete,” Karos said about the upcoming season. “Regardless of what happens out there, whether they’re on the winning side or the losing side, the one thing I can guarantee is we’re going to compete and we’re going to prepare the best we can.”

Players and coaches emphasized the positive impact support from the community provides.

“Our school is really supportive and excited to watch the girls succeed in such a big sport,” Smrz said. “Our student section is definitely a huge part of the game. Having fans there watching us, being loud, being supportive, it really does help us in games to keep us motivated and keep us going.”

“I’m most excited about more people coming to watch us,” Pettinger said.

The game’s first year as an IHSA sport will not only provide a new experience for players, but the opportunity to build relationships that will help girls flag football continue to grow.

“I was more of a shy and reserved person before flag football,” Glover said. “Now, going into my senior year, I’m making new friends and connections all around the state of Illinois.”