After years of watching tackle football at GlenOak, a new team has emerged. A girl’s flag football team has now been introduced to the high school.
Flag football brings all the intensity and strategy of regular American football but with a lower risk for injuries, as it is not a contact sport. It demonstrates speed, agility, strength and skill.
At GlenOak this is currently a club sport. The amount of girls flag football teams are still relatively small in the Stark county area in comparison to other sports. There are 121 high school teams in Ohio.
“The NFL has spearheaded this campaign to grow the game of football. It is going to be in the 2028 Olympic games for men and women. It is now also a collegiate sport and will be a professional sport for both genders,” coach Mark Johnston said.
Players feel the sport has been very impactful so far at GlenOak. It goes towards something larger; advocacy in women’s sports. By bringing more attention and getting other girls to join it has the opportunity to grow and expand the range of women’s sports offered. It is becoming a fast growing sport across the world.
“Football has gotten a bad reputation in the last 10+ years for being too dangerous. The reality is the game is safer than it’s ever been. I think flag football gives both genders an opportunity to explore the game at the non-contact level,” Johnston said.
Flag football can also bring people together. This sport brings new opportunities for everyone: from girls who always watched football and wanted in on the action, to multi-sport athletes looking to expand their resumé and everyone else in between.
“I’ve recommended it to a lot of my friends and pretty much all of my teammates,” junior Angelina Pyle said.
There will be 11 regular games, and the playoffs. There are about 20 girls already involved, but only five can play at a time. For those interested in playing at some point, here is a description of the practices.
“We have only practiced a couple times so far, but they have been really positive. The girls have come to practice with a great attitude and worked hard. They appear to enjoy it. They are set up usually 2-3 days per week for an hour and a half,” Johnston said.
Athletes should not only perform well physically, but also have large amounts of mental toughness and a good attitude. When adapting to a new sport it can be challenging at first, but with the right mindset it becomes easier.
“I think you have to be really determined, and I think that you just have to be confident, because it’s a new sport, so we’re probably not going to be the best. But it’s important to believe in yourself,” junior Mila Butsov said
The introduction of Flag Football at GlenOak provides many great opportunities to girls of all walks of athletics. Over time, the players hope it will evolve into an official sport, to do this it will have to be recognized by the OSHAA. Until then, the girls will continue to play and grow the community.
