On Oct. 16, 2024, at Kaneland High School, a meeting was held in math teacher Daniel Ponczek’s room to discuss the new sport beginning next year at the high school: girls flag football.
Mr. Ponz, as many people know him, was not surprised about the amount of people who attended the meeting. About 40 girls ranging from freshmen to juniors gathered to discuss what could be a historical achievement, the first girls flag football team at Kaneland.
In addition to the 40 students who attended, Ponz received over 20 emails from people who were interested but were unable to go to the meeting. Overall, he said that there were approximately 60 to 70 girls interested.
“I knew that it would be very popular,” Ponz said. “Students are excited to play, and I think that it’s super fun. Even coaching during powderpuff, it was awesome to see people come out and play who know nothing about football, and then we teach them different routes and stuff to play and [the students] love it.”
Many topics were discussed in the meeting, including the official start date of the 2025-26 season. It will be a fall season sport, and the official start date will be Aug. 11, 2025.
A few details are unclear, like if there will be a camp held over the summer and the exact date of tryouts. Ponz and Athletics and Activities Director David Rohlman, who attended the meeting, will work on planning this spring for more specific dates as the season gets closer.
Ponz has coached powderpuff for four years and has coached the winning team each time. He can’t wait to be involved in girls flag football next year and hopes to move his winning streak into the season.
“Powderpuff is pretty intense, but we’re going to take it to the next level,” Ponz said. “We’re even going to watch film.”
A common misconception was that Kaneland would no longer do the powderpuff game that takes place during Homecoming week once girls flag football is a sport. That is false, and Ponz said that it would be very ironic if the flag football girls couldn’t participate in powderpuff.
The IHSA officially approved girls flag football as a sport last spring. Around 800 high schools around Illinois had girls flag football this past fall. Of the 800, 154 schools signed up for the State tournament. For it being the first year, it has been very popular.
Just the meeting alone was a positive sign of its potential success at Kaneland. The meeting got students even more excited for a team next fall.
Junior Bethany Volkening attended the meeting in hopes of having a girls flag football team at Kaneland.
“[I went to the meeting] because I love football, and it was so much fun playing in the powderpuff game,” Volkening said. “Once I saw that we were having a meeting for an actual team, I got really excited.”
With all of the interest in girls flag football, Ponz is unsure if they will have tryouts for the first year. Ponz thinks that it might make it a little more organized to have some cuts, especially since it’s the first year.
Sophomore Prema Weichun attended the meeting because she thinks football looks really fun and wants to try it out.
“I’m really excited to do flag football and I’ve always wanted to play,” Weichun said. “However, I’m not really excited about having to try out because I don’t really know how to play.”
While some minor details are still being worked out, most students are excited for this new opportunity and are ready to make history. There is not another meeting set in stone yet, but once Ponz and Rohlman work on more details, more information will be sent out to those interested.
