OHSAA approves girls flag football as sanctioned sport starting in 2026

Ohio girls will be playing for a flag football state championship in the spring. The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced Thursday the board of directions approved the sanctioning of girls flag football as an OHSAA-sponsored championship event. Ohio is the 17th state to sanction the sport, and its season will be in the spring. "Flag football is growing rapidly and we look forward to working closer with teams, coaches and schools to help that growth," OHSAA executive director Doug Ute said in a statement. "The Browns, Bengals and NFL have already put in so much work to promote the game and bring us to this moment to welcome girls flag football to the OHSAA." The Browns have been a huge proponent of the sport for the last several years and a strong advocate for the OHSAA to sanction it. Coach Kevin Stefanski attended the news conference in Canton where the announcement was made. "This is such an amazing opportunity for youth sports and an amazing opportunity for girls flag football and I can't tell you how thrilled the Cleveland Browns are to be a part of it," he said. The organization has pushed for the sport from the top down. "The decision to officially sanction girls flag football in Ohio is an important moment not just for the Browns, but for the entire state of Ohio and the game we love," Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a news release. "We have seen firsthand how powerful the game of football can be in shaping confidence, leadership, and community, and we are proud that more young women will have the chance to experience that same growth." The Browns have sponsored tournaments in Northeast Ohio, with the number of participating teams growing from nine in 2022 to 88 this year. Elyria Catholic and a community team from Lorain were among the Lorain County representatives. "I've heard from a number of different schools that their girls have really enjoyed flag football," Lorain athletic director Bryan Koury said. "I'm sure there's going to be a buzz around Lorain County now that it's become an OHSAA sport. And I'm sure a lot of schools in Lorain County will consider adopting it." Koury said school administrators will have to discuss adding a team and all the logistics, including the timing of adding a sport by spring. "But the whole idea of adding another girls sport is important," he said. Lorain County's most accomplished flag football player is North Ridgeville graduate Isabella Geraci, who won a gold medal last year at the World Championship in Finland with the U.S. national team. She's hoping to be on the team when the sport makes its debut at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Cornerback Greg Newsome II was part of the Browns' push to sanction the sport. He's attended multiple events and helped coach. "It means a lot for them," he said last year of sanctioning the sport. "They love it so much." Contact Scott Petrak at (440) 329-7253 or spetrak@chroniclet.com. Like him on Facebook and follow him @scottpetrak on X.