Girls flag football is in line to be the next big thing in the state of Iowa. A high school league run by Des Moines Public Schools doubled in size from last year to this year.For most of the athletes in the DMPS league, flag football is a second sport. It’s a chance to try something new. But not for Dowling Catholic star Olivia Meredith.“I started just playing football at recess with the boys, and I went home, and I was like, ‘Mom and dad, I want to play football,'” Meredith said.And she did.First youth flag football, then tackle, where she played for Dowling Catholic as a freshman.“She is amazing. I think she sometimes doesn’t give herself credit, but I think when people see her, they see what we see,” said Dowling flag football coach Maria Smith.But with no real opportunities for girls to play football, Meredith was ready to hang up the cleats. That didn’t last long“When they reached out to me last year and said they were going to have a league through DMPS, the first person I thought of was Olivia,” Smith said.“I didn’t know it at first until Mrs. Smith called me into her office,” Meredith said. “The moment she told me, I immediately told her I want to sign up.”A love for football that started in Kindergarten is now fired up again.“I feel like ever since I picked it up, it just kind of lit a spark in me. I kind of knew that was my passion, my joy, ever since I played it,” Meredith said. “Now coming back, my spark is back.”And Meredith has taken that fire for flag football and spread it all over the country. She’s been to camps in Kansas City, Las Vegas and Minneapolis. Next month, she’ll go to California to compete for a spot on the U-18 National team. The end goal? Playing in college.“I’d love that if little girls could look up to me for this. I’d love to be the face of this,” Meredith said. “You are capable of achieving that, and if it’s a passion, you can chase it and it’s so good for you.” Forty states have high school girls flag football leagues. In 21 of those states, champions are crowned by the state’s activities association.

DES MOINES, Iowa —

Girls flag football is in line to be the next big thing in the state of Iowa. A high school league run by Des Moines Public Schools doubled in size from last year to this year.

For most of the athletes in the DMPS league, flag football is a second sport. It’s a chance to try something new. But not for Dowling Catholic star Olivia Meredith.

“I started just playing football at recess with the boys, and I went home, and I was like, ‘Mom and dad, I want to play football,'” Meredith said.

And she did.

First youth flag football, then tackle, where she played for Dowling Catholic as a freshman.

“She is amazing. I think she sometimes doesn’t give herself credit, but I think when people see her, they see what we see,” said Dowling flag football coach Maria Smith.

But with no real opportunities for girls to play football, Meredith was ready to hang up the cleats. That didn’t last long

“When they reached out to me last year and said they were going to have a league through DMPS, the first person I thought of was Olivia,” Smith said.

“I didn’t know it at first until Mrs. Smith called me into her office,” Meredith said. “The moment she told me, I immediately told her I want to sign up.”

A love for football that started in Kindergarten is now fired up again.

“I feel like ever since I picked it up, it just kind of lit a spark in me. I kind of knew that was my passion, my joy, ever since I played it,” Meredith said. “Now coming back, my spark is back.”

And Meredith has taken that fire for flag football and spread it all over the country. She’s been to camps in Kansas City, Las Vegas and Minneapolis.

Next month, she’ll go to California to compete for a spot on the U-18 National team. The end goal? Playing in college.

“I’d love that if little girls could look up to me for this. I’d love to be the face of this,” Meredith said. “You are capable of achieving that, and if it’s a passion, you can chase it and it’s so good for you.”

Forty states have high school girls flag football leagues. In 21 of those states, champions are crowned by the state’s activities association.