A league of their own: Girls flag football becomes IHSA sport

A Halas Hall-mark moment, on Valentine’s Day no less.

The message was one of opportunity and inclusion Wednesday at Halas Hall, the Chicago Bears’ Lake Forest headquarters, during a news conference officially announcing the Illinois High School Association sanctioning a girls flag football season and state series starting this August.

“By the time my daughter gets to high school, it’s going to be the norm,” said Nick Hildreth, co-head coach with Rachel Karos of the pioneering Willowbrook squad that won the 2022 championship, was 2022 national runner-up in Las Vegas, and placed third in Illinois last year in events hosted by the Bears and the Chicago Public League.

“We’ve been talking about this since we started the game,” said Willowbrook all-state receiver-defensive back Marli Smrz, a flag player in the Warriors’ first two seasons as an activity.

“Even though it’s been a sport, now that we can officially say that, it’s just amazing, and I’ve never been happier.”

Drawing attendees such as Arlington Heights Mayor Thomas Hayes, state Sen. Cristina Castro of Elgin, Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey and Chicago Public Schools Deputy Director of Sports Administration Mickey Pruitt, a former Bear, the news conference put an exclamation point on a decision previously decided through IHSA channels.

“I’m excited for the incoming freshmen. We’re going to have around 40 girls that are coming, and it’s just going to grow our team,” said Willowbrook freshman running back and receiver McKenzie Edison.

Willowbrook Principal Dan Krause said the Villa Park school joined the Chicago Public League in submitting a potential bylaw proposal for girls flag football to the IHSA’s Legislative Commission before its fall 2023 meeting.

“There was a lot of conversation about it happening, but we wanted to be sure it happened,” Krause said.

Ratified 36-0 by the commission, the flag proposal then was sent through IHSA Town Hall sessions throughout November and in December gained approval in online voting by member schools, 464-82 with 181 members offering no opinion.

On Feb. 4 the IHSA board of directors approved the state series.

Starting in 2021 with 21 CPL teams, last year 109 schools had girls flag football, satisfying the 10% threshold of the approximately 800 IHSA member schools needed to initiate a state series.

“The IHSA is over 100 years old and I can tell you that this type of growth for a sport is unprecedented throughout our history,” IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson told the crowded Halas Hall studio.

“A growing list of over 40 schools will also have committed to starting programs in 2025 and we have no idea where the growth will end,” he said.

IHSA assistant executive director Tracie Henry, the administrator for girls flag football, said 113 teams are currently enrolled. The 2024 entry deadline is Aug. 7.

Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren — “raised by a strong mom and two strong sisters,” he said — praised the work of both his manager of Youth and High School Football, Gustavo “Gus” Silva, and CPS flag football administrator Juliana Zavala for starting the girls flag football push.

Zavala, who got emotional during her address, said Illinois is the ninth state with sanctioned prep girls flag football.

Over time their message spread to suburban administrators such as Stevenson athletic director Tricia Betthauser, a leading organizer of the Lake County Conference.

Round Lake athletic director Ethan Karolczak said that last year while working together on a separate initiative, Silva suggested he start a girls flag team — two days after two students asked him to do the same.

“This is kismet,” Karolczak said in Halas Hall.

“It was really cool to see the increased sense of pride and confidence in our female athletes,” he said.

Next to him sat Matt Lynch, the former Fenton boys head football coach who now assists with girls flag events and helped set up the Bison’s team in the West Suburban Gold Plus conference.

“When Gustavo asked if I would help push this out and support this, it’s a no-brainer. Girls should have the same opportunities as boys,” Lynch said.

The 2024 flag football season will start with a potential first practice on Aug. 12 and conclude with the inaugural state finals on Oct. 11-12. Over time the season could potentially end on Thanksgiving weekend, same as boys football.

Anderson said no finals location has been set and the IHSA will soon put out a request for proposal for bidders.

Teams can play up to 25 games during the regular season, with the possibility of multiple games in a week, scheduled by member schools. Teams must play at least 6 games to compete in the state series, Henry said.

Preceding the finals, Henry said the model is for 32 regionals and eight sectionals, which will send eight champions to the state finals.

Lessening the load on officials, who Henry said currently number around 45, Anderson anticipated a weekday state series, such as Tuesday and Wednesday, leading up to the semifinals.

The playoff series could accommodate 192 teams, Henry said, but as of now each qualifying team will make the playoffs.

“We have room for expansion with the current model,” Henry said.

Silva said 30 mainly NAIA colleges have adopted women’s flag football, and last year three Illinois players received scholarships.

One is Willowbrook senior Emma Andrlik, the all-state receiver-defensive back. She’ll play at William Woods University in Fulton, Mo.

“I had no idea what was going on in the moment I was presented this scholarship. I was blown away,” Andrlik said.

“It makes me feel like I can accomplish anything. Not just in flag football but in life itself.”