ASHLAND — One of the fastest growing sports in the country will now be offered to Ashland High School students.
Ashland High School will now offer girls flag football starting in March, making it a spring-season game, after the board of education approved adding the program on Wednesday evening.
“This came as an interest from parents and girls this December,” Supt. Steve Paramore said.
As a club sport, the girls flag football team will not vie for for interscholastic championships and awards, they are not eligible for school transportation and cater to more skill levels, as compared to the more competitive variety-level sports.
“Several of our sports have started as a club sports before becoming a varsity sport,” Paramore said.
The sport will be coached by two volunteers: Derek Taylor and Aaron Reynolds.
Ashland High School will initiate signups from eligible girls within the next month or so, Paramore said.
Next school year, Ashland High School will be eligible to compete against other high schools that have formed teams through the Cleveland Browns Girls High School Flag Football programming.
The Browns’ program started in 2021 alongside Northeast Ohio Flag Football, and since has created the first girls high school flag football division in Ohio.
“Ultimately, the Browns are focused on creating a pathway for girls high school flag football to become a sanctioned varsity sport under the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA),” according to the Browns’ website.
In 2021, there were only six participating Ohio schools, now there are 121 schools, mostly concentrated in Cleveland and Columbus.
Eventually, the Ashland team will receive up to 25 Nike uniforms, an equipment toolkit and invitations to events, such as camps, through the program, according to the website.
The Cincinnati Bengals also started a nearly identical program in the Spring of 2024.
Girls flag football has also gained national attention with the sport making its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association also added flag football to its Emerging Sports for Women program, as of January.
Other business
The board of education also recognized Ashland’s students of the month at the Wednesday meeting. Those students are:
Reagan Elementary kindergartener Aubreigh Zavesky
Edison Elementary third-grader Lucy Wurster
Taft Intermediate School fourth-grader Marilyn Frederick
Ashland Middle School sixth-grader Ava Caldwell
Ashland Middle School seventh-grader Gavin McCluggage
Ashland Middle School eighth-grader Vanessa Bracamontes
Ashland Middle School Encore student August Burras
Ashland High School ninth-grader Braiden Baith
Ashland High School 10th-grader Ethan Haag
Ashland High School 11th-grader Guardian Miller
Ashland High School 12th-grader Clara Crum
