The story across the state was largely the same—talented athletes who had never thrown a football before.

This wasn’t the traditional Friday Night Lights. It was a new and exciting opportunity for girls across Tennessee and the country.

In the spring of 2025, girls flag football officially became an approved organized sport by the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA).

For many girls, that first season was about more than learning a new sport. It was about discovering what they were capable of.

From “Really Bad” to Finding a New Passion

Ashleigh Smith, a senior at White House High School, remembers her first practice.

In her own words, she described herself as “really bad” at flag football.

But that didn’t stop her from enjoying it.

“Even though I wasn’t great at it, I had so much fun that I knew Flag was something I wanted to do,” Smith said.

Girls flag football in Tennessee will begin its second official season this spring, but many high school girls are still embracing the excitement that came from their first season.

For many, it was simply the thrill of trying something new alongside hundreds of other athletes across the state.

Learning to Compete

For the girls at Merrol Hyde Magnet School in Hendersonville, that first season brought them all the way to a state championship appearance.

Despite beginning the year with zero football experience, the team quickly developed the skills needed to compete.

Greg Hollis, Assistant Coach for Merrol Hyde, said it was incredible to watch the girls grow throughout the season.

“I think I learned that with effort and a desire to get better, teams will improve,” Hollis said.

“From the first practice, where footballs were flying all over the field, to the end of the season, where we were very polished in the fundamentals… I saw growth as individuals and a team every day.”

Every team that participated during the inaugural season had to learn the fundamentals of the game.

For White House, team building became a pivotal part of that process.

Athletes from different backgrounds were coming together to play a sport that was new to many of them.

Smith had a background in cheer, but when she started flag football, she found something she could give her all to.

“After I played my first Flag game, I remember completely getting lost in the game and giving every ounce of effort,” Smith said.

“I played every play, without a second thought. It felt like second nature. It was then that I knew I loved the way the game made me feel, and it wasn’t something I experienced in any other sport.”

When Hard Work Pays Off

For both White House and Merrol Hyde, that growth became especially evident when the games became more important.

For Smith and the White House flag football team, one of the most memorable moments came in the regional semifinal against Liberty Creek.

Liberty Creek had already defeated White House twice and was the only undefeated team in the region.

Despite that, White House entered the game determined that its season was not going to end there.

“Everyone wanted it. We all decided it would not be our last game,” Smith said.

White House went on to win the game, giving Smith one of the most thrilling moments she had experienced.

While the victory was memorable, what stood out most to her was the work that went into getting there.

Weeks of practice and preparation had finally paid off, showing the girls what could happen when they continued to work together.

Big Moments, Big Growth

Merrol Hyde experienced its own share of memorable moments on the way to a state championship appearance.

In one game, the team was missing one of its best players and found itself in a close game that came down to the final play.

With time expiring, the opposing team threw a pass into the end zone.

A Merrol Hyde safety knocked the ball away, preserving the victory.

In the state semifinal, another tipped pass turned into a touchdown when a Merrol Hyde receiver caught the ball and ran it into the end zone to give her team the lead.

For Hollis, those moments represented more than individual plays.

They showed how far the team had come since those first practices when footballs were flying all over the field.

The girls had learned the game, but they had also learned how to respond when things did not go according to plan.

Hollis said the team faced plenty of adversity throughout the season, but they continued to find ways to adjust and improve.

Discovering More Than a Sport

That growth extended beyond the football field.

Hollis shared that he was proud of the way his players stepped outside of their comfort zones and committed themselves to something they had never done before.

They remained positive with one another, celebrated each other’s accomplishments, and learned to focus on the process instead of simply worrying about the final score.

Smith found something similar within herself.

Through flag football, she discovered a side of her personality she didn’t know existed.

“I discovered a super competitive side of me that I didn’t know I had,” Smith said.

“I never knew I had it in me to be so aggressive for something I wanted.”

That discovery may be one of the most important parts of the growth of girls' flag football.

The sport is giving girls an opportunity to try something completely different, but in the process, they are learning more about themselves.

They are finding that they can compete, lead, struggle, improve, and become part of something bigger than themselves.

“I can do much more than I gave myself credit for,” Smith said, reflecting on what she learned in her first season.

A New Season and New Possibilities

As girls flag football enters its second official season in Tennessee, hundreds of girls will once again step onto football fields across the state.

Some will have experience.

Many will not.

But just like Smith and the girls at Merrol Hyde, they will have the opportunity to try something new, build something together, and discover what they are capable of.

For Smith and Coach Hollis, that is exactly what makes the sport so special.

Sometimes, discovering what’s possible starts with simply being willing to try.