Following changes to the upcoming fall schedule for high school girls’ flag football, an Illinois lawmaker has introduced a new bill mandating extra oversight for such changes.
Illinois State Representative Janet Yang Rohr filed House Bill 5799 on Wednesday, which would require any changes to girls’ sports to undergo an “equity impact review” process by the Illinois High School Association to examine how the change would affect girls and any inequities when compared to a “comparable boys sport.”
The IHSA’s review would then be publicized for a public comment period of at least 30 days before changes are finalized and submitted to the Illinois State Board of Education for analysis.
Yang Rohr says the bill is intended to maintain fairness and transparency in boys and girls high school sports.
“What we’re going to do is make sure that when these changes happen that affect student athletes, especially if they are potentially taking away resources from girls and from girls’ sports, that there is a means to be accountable,” she said.
Bill introduced after IHSA girls’ flag football regular season shortened
The bill comes after the IHSA adjusted the 2026 girls’ flag football season schedule to add a week to the state series, changing it from two weeks to three and, thereby, reducing the regular season from six weeks to five.
In an earlier decision, the organization added a week to the boys’ tackle football summer season to accommodate the expanded number of teams competing in the postseason, according to the IHSA.
The lawmaker says this isn’t fair and hopes that, if passed, the bill will overturn the decision on flag football.
“For girls, they can play up to 25 games in a regular season. And so just think about that. To play 25 games in five weeks, that is just cramming a lot of activity in there, a lot of potential for overuse injuries,” said Yang Rohr.
She added that the shortened regular season could limit chances for athletes to gain exposure.
“In the playoffs, by definition, that’s when people are getting eliminated, and not as many people are playing. And so that just takes away a lot more opportunities for coaches from colleges and recruiters to see these girls in action,” she said.
IHSA says schedule change will positively impact student-athletes
However, the IHSA says the schedule change will largely not affect the overall season.
They added that the adjustment was made in the best interest of the health of student-athletes, as it prevents games from being played on back-to-back days.
“The competing teams still have the opportunity to play 25 regular-season games in the same amount of time, as they are not confined to play them all prior to the State Series,” said Matt Troha, associate executive director of the IHSA, in a statement.
Regarding the newly filed bill, officials said they hope to discuss it with Yang Rohr and other legislators before decisions are made.
The IHSA added, “We have no doubt that Representative Yang Rohr’s intentions are to support the continued growth of girls flag football in Illinois. However, meaningful dialogue should occur before legislative action is taken. Altering IHSA policies through legislation, rather than through the established processes involving member schools, could create unintended consequences that jeopardize existing flag football programs and make it more difficult for additional schools to launch programs in the future.”
Girls flag football programs locally
Girls’ flag football became an official IHSA sport in 2024, with all high schools in Naperville School District 203 taking part, as well as Benet Academy.
Indian Prairie School District 204 high schools currently do not offer the sport.
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