The flag football team offers athletes a chance to try something different.
Having grown up in the shadow of Ohio Stadium and Ohio State football, Kate Barron knows one hard and fast rule about football.
“Football brings a lot of people together, even if they are just watching a game,” Barron said.
Barron is one of more than 30 females who signed up to play for the Warriors flag football team during its inaugural season. Barron, a center back for the girls’ soccer team since 2023, saw flag football as a new adventure.
“I am excited to see flag football starting as something new at WC and in the state of Ohio,” Barron said. “Each of us is figuring it out together.
“Flag football brings together so many different people that I might not otherwise meet. One thing (Coach Allie) Elifritz said in one of our first practices was that we are bringing together a lot of the best athletes from different sports. Getting to know the younger girls has been fun. We all love to compete, but we also have a ton of fun doing it.”
Being on a first-year team is familiar territory for Elifritz (WC ’03). When she was a sophomore at Worthington Christian, she was on the school’s first girls’ soccer team. She has watched that squad develop into one that consistently competes for the district championships.
“What I remember the most about that season was the fun I had being a part of something new,” Elifritz said. “Even though we weren’t very good, we knew we were building something that would just keep getting better.”
Elifritz feels a similar breeze of anticipation this season for the flag football team.
“There is an excitement in the air,” she said. “Many of these girls have thrown around a football as kids at recess or with their brothers and have a love for it. Others are just excited to try out a new sport.
“Flag football is not a sport where you would need to train for years to be successful. Anyone can join flag football, work hard, learn the skills, and be successful in some aspects of the game.”
Flag football differs from traditional football in several ways. Teams play five-on-five on a smaller field; there are no extra-point kicks, and defenders pull flags instead of tackling.
While not a new high school sport in the state of Ohio, 2026 marks the first year the OHSAA will sanction the Varsity sport and host a state tournament.
And interest in flag football is growing. It began with a grassroots effort launched by the Cleveland Browns in 2021. Participation has since expanded from nine schools to more than 120 statewide.
One of the key points Elifritz emphasizes is that her team is playing for much more than just wins and losses.
“We will look to shine the light of Jesus in how we talk to each other, the officials, and the other team,” she said. “We will look to encourage each other and build one another up.”
“We are not just laying the foundation for a successful flag football program at WC,” Barron added. “We are prioritizing how we represent Christ and building friendships while competing would make the season feel like a success.”
If they can do that, flag football, and not just its fall companion, will bring people, both fans and students, together.