(6-11-24) Willowbrook High School in Villa Park will serve as the host of the inaugural Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Girls Flag Football State Finals in the fall of 2024. The three-year hosting contract will debut on Friday and Saturday, October 18-19, and then return to Willowbrook High School for the 2025 and 2026 state finals.
IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson
“The Willowbrook High School team, coaching staff, and administration have been a model program in girls flag football in the state, so it seems fitting that they will serve as the host of the inaugural state finals. We appreciate their passion for the sport and are excited to work together to create lifelong memories for our participating schools.”
In February, the IHSA announced at Halas Hall in Lake Forest that Girls Flag Football would become the 32nd sport to contest an IHSA State Series.
Rachel Karos, Willowbrook Girls Flag Football Head Coach
“As one of the pioneers of girls flag football in Illinois, we are thrilled to host the first IHSA State Championship at Willowbrook High School. We are proud to be part of growing girls flag football in Illinois, throughout the U.S. and internationally. Through the support of the IHSA and the Chicago Bears, girls flag football creates tremendous opportunities for a diverse group of students – including engaging them with athletics, providing once-in-a-lifetime experiences and connecting them to scholarships. The inaugural IHSA State Championship will be a historic event to continue to drive the sport forward and inspire the next generation. We are excited to provide an experience that promotes inclusion, access, diversity and equity for female athletes in Illinois.”
Prior to the IHSA starting a State Series, the Chicago Bears hosted a girls flag football state championship tournament, which Willowbrook won in 2022.
The Board approved a recommendation to adopt official rules for the 2024 IHSA Girls Flag Football season. The 2024 IHSA Girls Flag Football Rules can be viewed here.
Travis Burnett
A pioneer in the flag football community, Travis helped co-found the Flag Football World Championship Tour, FlagSpin and USA Flag. Featuring 15+ years of content creation for the sport of flag football, creating and managing the largest flag football tournaments on the planet, coaching experience at the youth and adult level as well as an active player with National and World Championship level experience.
