By Evie Rackley
Staff Writer
On May 6th, 2026, flag Football officially became a sanctioned sport by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association in a close vote of nine to eight, marking a historic step in expanding athletic opportunities for female athletes across the state. R.J. Reynolds High School has added flag football as an official fall sport, giving talented female athletes mlkf a dedicated outlet to showcase their athletic abilities.
For years, interest in flag football has steadily risen across North Carolina. While many schools previously ran loose flag football clubs, the new NCHSAA championship status ensures teams have universal gear, funding, and administrative support necessary for success. Most importantly, it replaces a patchwork of local club rules with uniform state protocols.
“We’re kind of building the plane as we’re flying it because flag football is so new across the country,” RJR Athletic Director Brad Fisher said. “There’s not a lot of models to follow. So the National Federation of High Schools, just this past year, set a set of rules and guidelines. Now that there’s guidance from the national level, everybody is playing the same game.”
Previously, club teams across the state were highly differentiated. Some schools set up four separate mini-fields inside a single football stadium, playing multiple games at once, while others played on half-fields. Under the new regulations, games are played on one dedicated, standardized field with uniform game lengths and weekly game limits. While RJR has never hosted a formal flag football club,
students have long enjoyed the annual powderpuff game, which sparked widespread interest in the sport.
“My mother and I started the petition because a lot of different counties had started doing flag football,” RJR senior Emerson Koontz said. “ Powder puff is one of everyone’s favorite traditions. So we thought, why don’t we just incorporate it into this sport?” Now that the petition has paved the way for an official season, the newly formed team looks towards their coach, Mike Russel, for guidance and mentorship. Russel is widely recognized as the RJR boys varsity basketball head coach; however, Russel also has a deep football background. Russel played both football and basketball at RJR and previously coached football at RJR in 2016. For Russel, flag football is the perfect opportunity to give naturally athletic girls the opportunity to excel in ways traditional fall sports might not offer.
“You got some kids good at soccer, football, field hockey, or volleyball,” Russel said. “But some girls, they’re really athletic and can run and catch but don’t necessarily have a sport they feel like gives them the ability to do what they are best at, so I am really excited to give these girls the opportunity to play flag football.”
While Russell is eager to get back to his football roots, his primary focus is about giving these girls a safe and supportive flag football community.
“What I’m most excited for in the upcoming season is making the connections with the kids,” Russel said. “I enjoy giving back, I enjoy helping, making those relationships, and creating memories and establishing that connection with kids.”
The players are matching their coaches’ enthusiasm, showing up to each practice with high energy and work ethic. Lauren Patridge, a senior and track runner who initially joined flag football just for fun and off-season conditioning, quickly realized how time-consuming and rewarding this season will be.
“The team is really, really close, and even though we’re still learning, we’re all picking up on small, minute things, day by day,” Patridge said. “It sounds cocky, but I am definitely most looking forward to just winning; it’d be really fun to win and to say that I contributed to a team. This is my first team sport, so I’m really excited to work hard with my teammates and win.”
With a condensed, fast-paced 11-game fall schedule, the Lady Demons are moving quickly to establish their presence on the field. Navigating the hurdles of building a program from scratch is no small feat, but the foundation is already strong. Backed by community support, led by a dedicated coaching staff, and driven by competitive athletes. The team is primed for success and, even more importantly, an extremely rewarding and fun season ahead.