Elifritz is looking forward to the challenge of starting Worthington Christian’s flag football program.
When she was a fifth grader at Worthington Christian, Allie (Linak) Elifritz (WC ’03) never had a problem getting up early for elementary school at the Westview campus.
“I would get to school early just so I could join a game where our gym teacher would launch footballs into the end zone and I’d get a chance to catch it,” said Elifritz, who has taught sixth-grade science and social studies at WC since 2019 and serves as the science department chair. “I loved playing football with the boys at recess.”
Elifritz will get a chance to showcase what she learned in the sport as the coach for the first Worthington Christian girls’ flag football team this spring. Over 30 girls have expressed interest in playing in the inaugural season.
Athletic director Tony Earp is excited to have Elifritz on board and to offer females another spring sport to compete in.
“We are blessed and encouraged to have Coach Elifritz lead the charge in establishing this new opportunity for our female athletes at our school,” Earp said. “She is a teacher and mentor who has impacted so many students at WC. This will be another way she will help develop the mind of Christ in students and help build new skills and confidence for them to pursue this new and exciting opportunity in sports.”
Elifritz’s interest in football grew from something she played in elementary school to something she is passionate about. After the two married in 2005, her husband Wes converted Elifritz into a full-time Minnesota Vikings fan. The two watch games intensely and travel to see a handful of Vikings games each season.
The element Elifritz enjoys about football is how quickly momentum can shift.
“What I love most about football is the excitement in every play,” she said. “Every down is an opportunity for a huge play to happen.
“I never imagined coaching football. However, when I saw the flag football opening and read through the rules, I knew this was something I would love to be a part of.”
The sport began in Ohio with a grassroots effort launched by the Cleveland Browns in 2021. A pilot program with nine teams followed in 2022. By 2026, it expanded to more than 120 schools statewide.
Elifritz is no stranger to being part of an introductory season. She played on the Warriors’ inaugural girls soccer team in 2000.
“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 was also a standout for the Worthington Christian girls’ basketball team. She played on the 2001 Division IV state semifinal team and finished her career as a member of the school’s 1,000-point club.
After high school, Elifritz played basketball and soccer at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, earning NCCAA All-American honors twice in soccer.
Upon graduation, Elifritz coached the Mount Vernon High School girls’ soccer junior varsity team and then spent two years assisting the women’s soccer program at her alma mater, MVNU.
However, Elifritz stepped away from coaching after having three children—Reese (WC ’30), Avery (WC ’32), and Sawyer (WC ’35)—in a span of five years.
“Given my athletic career background, over the years I have been asked frequently why I don’t coach (at Worthington Christian),” said Elifritz, who recently began being an assistant coach with the eighth-grade girls volleyball team. “My answer was always that I needed to be home with my kids.
“My children are now older, giving me the chance to get back into competitive sports.”
Elifritz would like to see flag football take root and continue to grow at Worthington Christian. She said her teaching background has served her well in getting the program together.
“I am able to plan for practices similarly to how I prepare for lessons,” she said. “I’ve trained and succeeded at the collegiate level in sports. I feel I can motivate the girls to give their best effort on every drill.
“I will be pushing these three goals for this program- honor God, have fun, and get after it.”
Who knows? Elifritz may soon be scouting out the recesses at the elementary school to find a new generation of wide receivers.