Alton High School made headlines this summer by fielding its first girls flag football team, a roster of 17 athletes drawn from track, basketball, soccer and brand‑new players to the sport.
The inaugural practice was originally slated for a 3:30 p.m. slot, but sweltering temperatures that topped the Illinois High School Association’s heat‑safety thresholds forced a postponement to 6:45 p.m., underscoring the early challenges of the program.
A Coach’s Vision
Nic Bradshaw, hired as the program’s first head coach in May, assembled the squad alongside assistant coach Chelsea Anderson, a former track standout, and set an ambitious timeline to debut the team before the start of the school year.
The schedule kicks off with three road contests — Aug. 25 at Belleville West, Aug. 27 at the same venue and Sept. 1 at Edwardsville — before the team’s first home game on Sept. 8 at Piasa Motorfuels Field, marking the program’s entry into the Southwestern Conference.
The sport’s rapid growth is reflected in the Illinois High School Association’s decision to add girls flag football to its roster in fall 2024, a move that has already attracted 154 teams statewide, including traditional powerhouses such as Edwardsville, Belleville East and Belleville West, while nearby Hillsboro plans to follow suit next fall.
The Southwestern Conference, now comprising ten schools — including Triad, Mascoutah and Granite City — has committed to preserving flag football as a conference‑sponsored sport, providing a structured platform for competition.
Bradshaw has spoken repeatedly about the team’s potential, highlighting a core of freshmen and sophomores who bring coachability and dedication, and he envisions a future where the program not only competes but also serves as a model for expanding girls’ sports in the region.
Key contributors such as quarterback/running back/defensive back Tiarta Hall, quarterback/receiver/linebacker Charity Price, linebacker Moriah Taylor and receiver Leah Hubbard are expected to anchor the squad as it aims to fill 25 varsity jerseys in its debut year and chase a state‑final berth slated for Oct. 16‑17.