Girls flag football was named an official IHSA sport on Feb. 5.

“We have a policy that allows our board of directors to consider adopting a new sport or activity when 10 percent of our schools have that sport as a team,” said Craig Anderson, executive director of the IHSA.

“We started with only like 20 to 30 schools [with flag football], the next year went to 40 or 45 and then this past fall it went to 100,” said Anderson. “Our membership [in the IHSA] is a little over 800 schools, so whenever a sport or activity exceeds 80 schools conducting a sport or activity, that’s when the board can consider adopting it.”

This upcoming fall, flag football is scheduled to have an IHSA-sanctioned state series.

“I also hope that in the future there’s large numbers of participation so that the sport can keep growing and rising over the years,” junior Stefani Pecaro said.

The team was founded by Pecaro and coached by head coach Matt Haggis this school year.

Flag football is an incredible opportunity for girls to showcase their athleticism and develop camaraderie with their teammates like many sports and activities that the IHSA offers are meant to do, Anderson said.

“I think this is just one more outlet for girls to really excel and to be celebrated in this new opportunity,” Anderson said.