ASHLAND — Derek Taylor and Aaron Reynolds sat watching their children play in a powder puff football game when a conversation sparked an idea.
The two joked about starting a girls flag football team at Ashland High School.
A few weeks later, Taylor sent Reynolds a text.
“I’ve got this email typed up,” Taylor wrote. “Are you in?”
Reynolds didn’t hesitate.
“Say less.”
Less than two years later, the idea has grown to a varsity sport at Ashland High School.
Ashland’s Board of Education plans to vote Aug. 24 on making girls flag football an official varsity sport after the team’s successful first season as a club.
The club team started last March with 14 athletes and Taylor and Reynolds as coaches. The team quickly found success with a 6-3 record.
The program will receive the same benefits as other varsity sports, once approved. Varsity sports receive school-funded transportation, equipment, varsity letters and compete for championships.
“It adds validity to it,” Reynolds said. “Not that a club sport isn’t serious, but you get a varsity letter and all the things that come with an actual sport. Everything is dialed up a little bit.”
The coaches said many players had little or no experience with football before the season began.
“From the beginning of the season, not understanding what a coverage was or what route trees looked like, to the end of the year literally discussing with us, ‘If I run this route and that defender’s there, maybe I run it a little shallower,’ they were understanding the game,” Taylor said.
“My pride comes from what they’re learning and the hard work they’re putting in.”
The coaches said 12 players are expected to return next spring, and they hope varsity status encourages even more students to participate, including the incoming freshman class.
The club’s first season relied on the Ashland community for support and supplies.
Finn Athletic Brands donated footballs. The Ashland YMCA donated flags. Ashland Youth Football loaned jerseys. Greg Orthodontics made custom mouth guards for every player.
“It was really awesome how everybody was just like, ‘This is awesome. This is so cool. Let’s have some fun with it,'” Reynolds said.
Taylor said school administrators also played an important role in helping launch the program.
The coaches said they appreciate the support of the board, Supt. Steve Paramore and Athletic Director Jason Goings.
“The fact that they trust in the program and these girls speaks volumes,” Taylor said.
Flag football has become one of the world’s fastest-growing sports. According to the NFL, approximately 4.1 million youth athletes now play flag football nationwide, a 20% increase since 2020.
Girls flag football grew in Ohio through an NFL program led by the Cleveland Browns. The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) later recognized the sport as its 29th sanctioned sport for the 2026-27 school year.
Ohio Cardinal Conference member Madison High School already has a varsity girls flag football program. Ashland’s coaches hope their program encourages more schools in the conference to add teams.
“It seems like it’s doubled every single year,” Taylor said. “We’re obviously hoping to have more schools inside of our conference.”
The coaches also hope the program continues to grow and with enough participation, start a junior varsity team.
Their focus for now is on the girls who took a chance on the new program.
“They took a chance on something new. There were no footsteps they were following in,” Taylor said. “They’re out there trailblazing.”
Paramore said the district’s decision comes as girls flag football continues to grow in popularity and the sport’s addition to the Olympics.
“It’s always been about the girls,” Reynolds said. “We wanted them to get the recognition they deserve and be able to play the game they want to play. We’re just fortunate that we had girls who believed in us and gave us a chance.”
