Touchdown, Wildcats!

Oak Harbor High School is gearing up for girls flag football, new to the winter sport slate this year. Current girls soccer coaches Mike Lonborg and Millie Goebel will helm the team as head and assistant coach, respectively.

“It feels great to be able to provide this opportunity for our female athletes,” Athletic Director Jay Turner said via email. “Our coaches are very excited for the start of the season and to see the girls compete.”

Although rules can vary depending on teams and leagues, flag football is similar to American football save for one key difference: very minimal, if any, contact is permitted. As opposed to tackling, defenders can pull a flag from a belt around players’ waists to halt play.

Lonborg said the team plans to follow National Federation of State High School Associations guidelines and incorporate some rules from the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. Specifically, Goebel added, flag football games played by Oak Harbor High School will be non-contact, last about an hour and take place on a field smaller than that standard of American football.

Wildcat Stadium will host games and practices, and the team will compete at other venues within WIAA’s Northwest and Wesco Conferences as well, she added.

Tryouts begin Nov. 17 — the first week of the season — and while Goebel said the roster cap is not finalized, Lonborg estimated needing 12-16 girls per team to have seven players on-field at a time and plenty of substitutes to keep legs fresh.

“Quite a few girls have already signed up, and we would like to give as many girls as possible the opportunity to be a part of the year’s excitement,” Lonborg said.

According to its website, the WIAA sanctioned girls flag football in April, making it the first sport added by the organization since girls bowling in 1999. Oak Harbor High School initially explored the idea of starting its own program around that time.

“We announced the addition of flag football at the start of the school year, and the response has been tremendous,” Turner explained. “Many students expressed excitement about trying something new and being part of a first-year program.”

Having gauged students’ interest, the school then needed to secure league competition, coaches and the necessary facilities and equipment. Oak Harbor High School received district athletic funds, corporate sponsor funding and help from the Wildcat Booster Club to cover “primary expenses” like “uniforms, flags, footballs, transportation and coaching stipends,” Turner said.

“Fortunately,” he added, “the equipment needs for flag football are minimal compared to some sports, which makes it easier to launch the program successfully.”

Lonborg brings 25 years of coaching experience to the new team, many of which he spent in soccer. He started coaching his daughters when they took an interest in sports, and transitioned to coaching high school students 13 years ago.

“I look at this as a special opportunity to come in at the very start of a new and exciting program and to build it up from the beginning,” he said. “Oak Harbor High School has some great female athletes but few of them have ever been part of a football program, so it’s going to be exciting watching them grow.”

An Oak Harbor High School alum and former high school athlete herself, the prospect of a new Wildcat team thrilled Goebel.

“When I heard that girls flag football was becoming an official high school sport, I was excited about the opportunity to be involved, to learn the game alongside the girls and help recruit female athletes to the team,” she said.

With 14 years experience playing soccer and seven years coaching it, Goebel understands the demands of her position. Connecting with athletes is crucial, as positive relationships allow her to provide constructive feedback, collaborate on strategies and support young women as they grow as athletes and adults.

“Athletics can provide incredible opportunities for character growth,” she added, “and I love being part of that journey.”