Latest news with #OHSAA
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Game changer: Girls flag football to join OHSAA varsity lineup in 2026
COLUMBUS — The high school gridiron is getting bigger in Ohio, and no longer a sport reserved just for the boys beginning in the spring of 2026. High school girls across the state will soon have their own path to win a state football championship on the field after the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) announced last Thursday, July 17th that it will sanction a state championship event in girls flag football. Dates for competition and the 2026 state tournament will be determined in the near future. A pair of area athletic directors in Cambridge High's Jeff Wheeler and Craig Taylor of Buckeye Trail each gave the decision by the OHSSA a big thumbs up for the move that opens up a new chapter for Ohio high school sports More: Gridiron Boot Camp: Buckeye Trail football builds brotherhood with 'Military Games' "It's a great opportunity for young ladies to play a sport and be involved in teamwork, discipline, dedication, leadership, skills, and competitiveness," Taylor said. "I'm a big believer in the benefits of competition and all the good habits that come from it." "We recently added a trap shooting team and used to offer boys volleyball," Taylor added. "So we have a record of providing non-traditional opportunities for our students. So we would not be opposed to adding girls flag football if it looks like good fit." Taylor explained that discussions among the administrators and board of education for the East Guernsey School District would be the first step in deciding if this is an opportunity they want to provide for Buckeye Trail students. Wheeler, who served on the OHSAA Board of Directors 3 years ago when girls wrestling became a sanctioned varsity sports by the OHSAA was also in support of girls flag football being added. "I think it is awesome," Wheeler offered. "Anytime you can create more opportunities for kids inside and outside of the classroom, it is a great thing. If there is enough interest from our female athletes, I would do everything I could to make it happen." NFL support helps make decision to pull the trigger easier The announcement was made at a press conference in Canton alongside representatives from the National Football League, the Cleveland Browns, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pro Football Hall of Fame during the NFL FLAG Championships presented by Toyota. OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute and OHSAA staff have been meeting with Ohio flag football leaders for several years. The growth of girls flag football began in 2021 with the creation of the first Girls High School Flag Football division in Northeast Ohio, led by the Cleveland Browns. Three years ago, there were 20 schools in Ohio that had a team. There are currently 80 high schools in Ohio that have a team and that number is expected to continue to grow. 'We are pleased that the OHSAA Board of Directors has approved the sanctioning of girls flag football as an OHSAA sponsored championship event,' said Ute. 'Flag football is growing rapidly and we look forward to working closer with teams, coaches and schools to help that growth. The Browns, Bengals and NFL have already put in so much work to promote the game and bring us to this moment to welcome girls flag football to the OHSAA.' Flag football has been added by 100 college club and varsity programs and now 17 high school state associations have sanctioned the sport with a state tournament. It will be included as a new sport in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Numbers could be problem area for local schools Spring sports is already a crowded sports season, and especially at some smaller school districts the amount of eligible female student-athletes might be an issue. Girls who currently participate in track, softball or other spring sports might be forced to choose between their current sport and flag football, potentially thinning out rosters in the more traditional sports such as softball and track. "Us being a small school my only concern would be taking student-athletes away from track and softball." Taylor said. "I think our question will be is if we have enough students to support the three sports in the spring if we did offer flag football." More: Cambridge YMCA Gymnastics team excels at Nationals Meadowbrook athletic director Johnny Jones feels a possible solution could be the various sports sharing student-athletes that often already happens within smaller school districts. "Our annual powder puff football game amongst female high school athletes always draws a large turnout each year," Jones said. "So I think with the right leadership and drive, Meadowbrook is a prime candidate to add flag football." "The obvious barrier for us and other schools is how to make the numbers work," Jones continued. "Last year we had 70 girls involved with track and 22 in softball. We would probably need to work on cooperation between sports and share the girls." Other potential issues could come with resource allocation, budget concerns, ample facilities, equipment and uniforms, transportation, scheduling conflicts to name a few. But despite the potential issues, sanctioning girls flag football is a forward-thinking move by the OHSAA that will provide valuable opportunities for young female student-athletes in Ohio. "Adding girls flag football is something we will take a hard look at," Ridgewood athletic director Jesse Smolder said. "We are always interested in providing positive opportunities for our students. I feel we do a good job of doing that, and its something we want to continue to do. So we will take a hard look at adding girls flag football." KSutton1@ X: @KSuttonDJSports; Instagram: kevinsutton_dailyjeffsports This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: A new era: Girls flag football set for varsity debut in Ohio for 2026 season
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
OHSAA state tennis tournaments to return to Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason
On Thursday, June 26, the Ohio High School Athletic Association announced that next Ohio state tennis tournaments will be returning to the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason for the first time since 2022. The deal is for the next three years. Advertisement The tournaments were hosted at the Lindner Center from 2014 to 2022, but moved to the College of Wooster for the past two seasons while the Lindner Center was under renovation. The facility annually hosts the Cincinnati Open. 'We're proud to welcome back the OHSAA state tennis tournaments to the Lindner Family Tennis Center,' said Bob Moran, President of Beemok Sports and Entertainment. 'After a major transformation, our campus will be a year-round public facility where Ohio's best high school players will compete on the same courts as the world's best. It is an opportunity that will inspire them throughout their season and serve as a great reward for their hard work.' About 12,000 new seats have been added to Center Court at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason. The new seats are part of of a $260 million to enhance the facility over the next two years. The center hosts the Cincinnati Open. The renovations cost $260 million and increased the total number of outdoor courts at the facility to 31. It also added a six-court indoor facility, pickleball and padel courts, new locker room facilities and a clubhouse that includes a restaurant and function room space. Advertisement 'The Lindner Family Tennis Center is one of the finest tennis facilities in the country and we are thrilled that our student-athletes will be able have the experience of competing there for state championships,' said Doug Ute, OHSAA Executive Director. 'We would like to thank the College of Wooster for hosting the state tournaments for the last two years. We had a great experience at Lindner previously and are looking forward to being back.' The OHSAA girls tennis state tournament will be held October 16-17, 2025. The next OHSAA boys state tennis tournament will be held May 28-29, 2026. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: OHSAA state tennis tournaments returning to Lindner Family Tennis Center
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jacob Wilson's solo homer (9)
Watch Lebanon softball get final out, celebrate first state final appearance since 2017 Lebanon softball beat Lancaster 2-0 in extra innings on Saturday to earn a spot in the OHSAA Division I state final for the first time since 2017.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
3 area high schools finish baseball season in OSHAA championships
Three area schools competed in the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) baseball championships in Akron this weekend. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Minster High School won the Division VII championship, 8-0, over Newark Catholic on Saturday. It's the Wildcats' fourth state title in program history. Advertisement Two other high schools finished runner-up on Sunday. Springboro lost in the Division I championship, 2-1, to Oletangy. Graham High School fell in the Division V championship, 3-0, to Waynedale. TRENDING STORIES: Minster scored five runs in the second and added three more runs later. Caleb Grouse held Newark Catholic to three hits over five innings and struck out seven. Minster finished the season with a 26-6 record. Midwest Athletic congratulated Minster High School for winning the state championship on social media. 'Congratulations to the Minster baseball team on claiming the Division VII baseball title. It is the Wildcats' fourth baseball crown and school's 43rd overall. The title is the 152nd overall for the MAC!' Oletangy scored twice in the first inning on three straight singles with two outs. The Panthers cut the deficit in half on an RBI single by Jacob Crane. It was as close as they got. This was Springboro's second state tournament appearance and first in the state championship game. The Panthers ended the season with a 25-8 record. Advertisement Springboro City Schools congratulated the team on social media. 'What they accomplished wasn't luck or momentum. It was the result of discipline, leadership, and belief. To our players, coaches, and families: thank you. You've represented Springboro with class and commitment from the first pitch to the final out.' Graham was in the state championships for the first time since finishing runner-up in 1995. Waynedale scored once in the second and added two more runs in the sixth. Graham was held to six hits as they finished the season 20-11. Graham Local Schools congratulated the team for a great season on its Facebook page. Advertisement 'An absolute great season and a legendary postseason performance by the players and the staff. Laid it all on the line in Akron.' The team is expected to return to St. Paris Monday afternoon, the school district said. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Business Wire
12-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
OHSAA Extends Partnership with Hometown for Digital Ticketing
COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Ohio High School Athletic Association and Hometown have announced an extension of their partnership that makes Hometown the official ticketing partner of the OHSAA through 2031. With its headquarters in Columbus, Hometown is an all-in-one digital platform for ticketing, fundraising and event management for over 700 OHSAA member schools. The renewed agreement reflects the success of Hometown's Box Office platform and marks a new chapter of innovation following Hometown's 2024 merger with fee-free fundraising platform Schoolfundr. Under the extended partnership, Hometown will continue to provide OHSAA and its 700+ member schools with a streamlined, full-service digital solution for ticketing and event management that reduces the need for cash handling, enhances transparency through real-time reporting, and simplifies game-day logistics for both school administrators and fans. 'OHSAA member schools deserve an event management and ticketing platform that makes their lives easier and supports their mission,' said Doug Ute, Executive Director of the OHSAA. 'Hometown has consistently delivered on that promise, and we are excited to continue our partnership with a company that not only understands our schools but is also committed to their success.' Hometown has supported millions of fans attending OHSAA postseason events since 2019 and continues to empower schools statewide to manage regular-season games on their own terms. Hometown's Ohio-based support team, robust analytics tools, and secure payments infrastructure have made it the platform of choice across the state. 'This partnership is about more than just tickets,' said Dennis Levene, Hometown Chief Revenue Officer. 'It's about delivering a comprehensive platform that empowers every school and student in Ohio to succeed, on the field and off. From online ticketing and fundraising to event promotion, secure payments and beautifully designed school websites, Hometown gives schools everything they need to elevate the experience for their communities and operate more efficiently from a single, trusted platform.' In late 2024, Hometown Ticketing merged with Schoolfundr, a fee-free, donor-first fundraising platform used by thousands of schools across the country. The combined company, Hometown, provides a unified experience that allows schools to manage ticketed events and fundraising campaigns in one place without added fees or administrative burden. In 2025, Hometown added Hometown Engage athletic websites to their product offering, which will be provided to OHSAA member schools at no-cost as part of the partnership. Together, Hometown and Schoolfundr power events, donations and communications for over 17,000 K-12 programs, colleges and community organizations nationwide. The extended partnership with the OHSAA marks another step in Hometown's commitment to delivering best-in-class tools for Ohio's student-athletes and school leaders.
