A global movement. An awakening. Inevitable.
The Chicago Bears’ manager of youth and high school football, Gustavo Silva, used these words when describing the rise of girls flag football, which prepares for its second season as an official IHSA sport this fall.
With over 200 teams competing across the state of Illinois compared to 146 last year, the path to a state crown has never been tougher.
“You can see that the level of play has continued to progress and it’s just going to become a more competitive game,” Silva said. “With all the new schools coming on this year, we expect the competition to continue to progress forward. It’s going to be really something to be able to win a state championship here in 2025 because the teams across the state are getting that much better.”
Many coaches noted an uptick in competition from a season ago. Willowbrook, led by head coach Rachel Karos, finished its first season 21-6 while making the Elite Eight.
“The focus this year will be on execution, developing young talent, and staying ahead in an increasingly competitive landscape as more schools across Illinois invest in girls flag football,” Karos said.
Last season, Fremd took home the inaugural state title, defeating Rockford Guilford 24-12 in the championship game. In the third place game, Whitney Young topped Bradley-Bourbonnais, 35-8.
Teams began practice on Aug. 11, with the first games set to be played on Monday, Aug. 25. Each squad will play an average of 18-20 games, with up to 25 contests permitted. In addition to increased competition, Silva expects to see a surge in girls flag football played under Friday night lights.
“High schools are giving girls the opportunity to have that Friday night lights experience, playing in front of hundreds, if not thousands of people, having the student-body focus on them,” Silva said. “That’s just a really cool high school experience.”
A fresh season prompted new rules, most notably a shift in the pass rushing regulations.
Edge rushers who were required to start their blitz from seven yards back last season can now start as close as a yard away from the line of scrimmage.
The rule change, although it may cause some early season discomfort for teams struggling to adapt, takes another step toward alignment with the collegiate game.
In the spring of 2026, the number of collegiate girls flag football teams will jump from two to eight. Silva estimated over 50 girls from the state of Illinois will be playing collegiate flag football this coming season. He spoke about the opportunity to impact young lives, describing the chance to be a part of it as “humbling.”
“For some of them, they are the first in their families to go to college and what’s given them the motivation and pathway is this sport,” Silva said. “So, you really can’t measure the ripple effect of the impact of this sport on the girls.”
Led by the Bears, three leagues have been started across the UK. Two more will be added in Spain this fall.
With an avalanche of momentum and a plethora of support, Silva knows girls flag football is inevitable.
“It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when,” Silva said.
Gerald Steele is the founder of Stonegate Health Rehab. He shares expert insights, recovery tips, and rehab resources to support individuals on their journey to wellness.