Sophie Allen | The Chronicle
This February, a powerhouse squad of girls will make history as they take the turf for Mason High School’s first-ever Girls Flag Football team.
The Cincinnati Bengals are one of many NFL teams which have begun to partner with local schools in an effort to promote football to female high school athletes.
This year MHS has joined with the Bengals as part of the initiative. What started as a six-school pilot program with the Bengals in 2024 has ignited a local sports revolution, with the number of participating girls flag football teams more than tripling to 20 in 2025 before doubling again to over 40 schools for the 2026 season.
At MHS, girls are already diving headfirst into this new opportunity. MHS junior Nicole Diaz Silva, a runner for the cross country and track teams, plans to play in the upcoming season. Diaz Silva has said that she anticipates a learning curve due to the many differences between football and cross country, though she is excited for the unique opportunities that the football team offers.
“I really like the team culture part of it,” said Diaz Silva. “In cross country I value my teammates a lot, but for some part of my high school career I do want to participate in something that takes both personal and group growth.”
Diaz Silva said she is excited to be a part of such a fast growing and feminist sport, especially in its very first year at MHS. To her, it feels like a deep personal accomplishment as well as a milestone for the wider high school community.
“[Offering girls flag football shows] how much women [in sports] have evolved,” said Diaz Silva. “Seeing [girls football] played in such a big school like Mason is important because it sets an example and shows the gravity of women in sports.”
While The Bengals’ initiative is relatively new, it capitalizes on an already existing interest in football amongst high school girls. The initiative aims to build off of the culture that football has created in the high school environment thus far, targeting girls who show interest in football in any capacity.
MHS’ current boys freshman football coach, Barak Faulk, will be tackling the new girls football team. Faulk said that the overlap between girls and football has existed for years, and he’s excited to watch the connection continue to grow.
“For the past three years we have had at least one girl, if not more than one, that acted as assistant coaches for the JV and Varsity football teams,” Faulk said. “Girls love football. There’s more girls playing youth football [now] than there were 10 years ago. I’d be surprised if we don’t get some that have already played.”
Mr. Rompies, associate principal and manager of the program, also said that offering flag football presents a more approachable opportunity than traditional tackle football. However, what makes the sport even more accessible to newcomers is how brand-new it is for everyone involved.
“Sometimes I feel like in sports nowadays, if you haven’t started since you were young, it’s kind of hard to get yourself involved.” said Rompies. “[Girls football,] however, is brand new, so everybody’s on the same level.”
Each school in participation will be provided with equipment and uniforms by The Bengals. Throughout the season there will be various games, scrimmages, and other flag football themed events also funded by The Bengals, culminating in a championship tournament.
Backed by Bengals-provided resources like jerseys to jumpstart high school programs, the initiative’s ultimate goal is to secure official sanctioning from the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA). Currently, 17 states have already sanctioned girls flag football, paving
the way for Ohio to join the national movement.
“Right now, [girls flag football] is essentially a club sport,” said Mr. Rompies. “Other states throughout the country have had a long history of girls playing football. I think, although it’s hard to predict these things, that it will eventually become a OHSAA recognized sport.”
Regardless of the sport’s OHSAA status, both athletes and staff share an optimistic outlook on the future and longevity of girls football at MHS. Prospective coach Brandon Sethi, who also serves on the varsity football staff, believes women’s sports have a powerful allure and hopes the flag football program proves the strength of that movement.
“[Girls flag football] is just going to be another place for MHS students to connect,” Sethi said. “Doing something that’s new and different and fun and competitive. We’re in such an era of specialization in sports that this gives an opportunity to do something different, something really productive for the body and for the athlete.”
