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KB The QB: Bisgrove reflects on outstanding flag football career

KB The QB: Bisgrove reflects on outstanding flag football career

ELON NC – Before she wore No. 2 as a goalkeeper for the Elon University women’s soccer team, freshman Katie Bisgrove wore No. 10 in a different shade of maroon.

During her sophomore year, Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood, New Jersey, started a pilot program for a new varsity sport – an all-girls flag football team. Now receiving accolades and praise as one of CAA’s best in her first season, Bisgrove reflected on her journey with the sport and its future.

Bisgrove’s beginnings with flag football began in her male-dominated local recreational league. She was one of the few girls to develop a love and passion for sports. Her experience heightened her excitement when it was announced that her high school was among the select few to host a team sponsored by the New York Jets.

“When I was younger I wanted to play tackle, but my parents wouldn’t let me,” Bisgrove said with a grin.

“I played in one [recreational] League that consisted mostly of boys. “There were maybe three or four girls,” Bisgrove said. “When I found out they were bringing an all-girls league to my high school, I was super excited and jumped at the opportunity as quickly as possible.”

As goalkeeper on the Ridgewood Maroons soccer field, Bisgrove took on a new challenge as a two-sport athlete. Bisgrove quickly found her role as the team’s starting quarterback and safety.

Even though the two sports didn’t share the spring season at the high school level, Bisgrove juggled recruiting college players for soccer, honing her skills at the club soccer level and her responsibilities with the flag football team.

“I had a great passion for these sports,” Bisgrove said. “I was willing to do whatever it took to be able to step on the field for both teams whenever I was needed.”

“We had practices at 6 a.m. because we weren’t technically a state sport yet,” Bisgrove added. “I get up, do a flag practice at 6 a.m., go to school and then to the club.” [soccer] practice at night.”

The early practices and the stress of all her obligations never slowed her down. In her senior season, Bisgrove passed for over 2,000 yards and 37 touchdowns. Her efforts culminated in her being named the state’s Offensive Player of the Year. In the same year she made over 100 saves as a goalkeeper and was recognized across the league and district. Bisgrove had become one of the state’s best in two different sports.

“For me, [flag football] “This is something I wanted to have fun with because as much as I love football, recruiting has been stressful at times,” Bisgrove said. “I let flag football be my outlet and then I took it from there and it ended up being like this.” Great fun. I think I probably loved it as much as football.”

 

Gallery: (10/17/2024) KB The QB

As part of the pilot program, Bisgrove and her team received tremendous support from the NFL. After a near-perfect regular season, Ridgewood made it to the state championship game. The game was played at MetLife Stadium – home of the NFL’s New York Giants and Jets.

“It was definitely surreal,” Bisgrove said. “The Jets actually gave us our own lockers in the locker room. We were allowed to do a walk-in photo shoot and overall they treated us so well.”

Bisgrove took the Maroons the distance, won the state championship and hoisted the trophy in the same place as many other sports legends.

“It was crazy playing at MetLife Stadium and all my family and friends were there watching. Being able to lift this trophy in such a big stadium where the professionals play was an absolutely crazy experience,” said Bisgrove.

The team’s partnership with the Jets offered more than just a trip to MetLife. Bisgrove and her teammates also earned tickets to the NFL Pro Bowl, appearances on live television and meet-and-greets with Jets superstars.

“[The New York Jets] “I got us Pro Bowl tickets and we were able to watch the flag football game there,” Bisgrove added. “A few weeks ago, my teammates went to the Jets Luncheon in New York City. They met Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams, Jermaine Johnson and Garrett Wilson. I was here, so I was a little jealous.

Bisgrove credits the NFL community for championing the sport and bringing the possibilities of flag football to athletes across the country.

“The NFL and the community as a whole have been super supportive,” Bisgrove said. “It was cool to play a sport that is all about empowering women and see how that impacts future generations of young female athletes. As an athlete, I had a platform to inspire younger women and lead the way in a new sport.”

Midway through her freshman season, Bisgrove was ranked the 74th best freshman season by TopDrawerSoccer. Now, as she goes through her rookie year, Bisgrove is consistently applying the lessons she learned on the soccer field to her experiences at Rudd Field.

“Playing flag football taught me different values,” Bisgrove said. “Football is a completely different sport, and I learned the values ​​that are preached there – work ethic, courage, resilience.”

“Being a quarterback is similar to being a goalie,” Bisgrove added. “You have to read the field, the pressure is great. Sometimes the weight of a team rests on your shoulders, but you also have to rely on every single person on the field.”

From their entry into the sport to their departure, flag football experienced extreme growth across the country, pilot programs at record-breaking levels, and being granted varsity status.

“It’s really cool that little girls can look around and see other athletes, other female athletes playing flag football, and they know that that’s an option for them and a path that they can take if they want to,” Bisgrove said. “I’ve personally seen coaching some of the younger girls at our hometown clinics or at the Jets clinics and I just see how they look up to us.”

“I wish I had this when I was younger, but it’s cool that I’m the one they look up to and that we’re proving to these younger athletes that girls can play soccer too,” Bisgrove added. “Girls can really do anything men can do. It’s just super cool to create this opportunity to be a pioneer in this relatively new sport.”

Flag football will be on the Olympic stage for the first time in 2028. Bisgrove is excited to watch the sport develop as a spectator and see some familiar faces in the red, white and blue.

“I’m really looking forward to watching flag football in LA in 2028 because I know some of the girls who will likely and hopefully make the team from the Army Bowl in Texas,” Bisgrove said. “I’m really looking forward to watching it and seeing it at international level and seeing it grow. In the next five or six years it could definitely become a Division I sport, and I think it will continue to grow there.”

As Bisgrove reflected on her athletic journey so far, she focused on the impact both sports have had on her. From the field to the field, each experience has shaped her development as an athlete and individual.

“As an athlete, you have a platform, no matter how big or small, and your actions impact those around you,” Bisgrove said. “I’m glad I played this sport. Being a multi-sport athlete in general, and some of the concepts and values ​​I learned through flag football, I definitely took them with me to the field and into my life.”

“The thought of flag football is so bittersweet for me because it was truly one of the best things that ever happened to me. It really changed my life,” Bisgrove added. “As sad as I am that I will probably never play at a competitive level again, when I think about it, I am grateful for what this sport has taught me.”

 

Rising Phoenix is ​​a student-led initiative to cover Elon athletics. Through innovative content creation and storytelling, Elon University students have the opportunity to highlight the moments, people and events that make an impact, leveraging the athletic department’s various web and social media platforms for distribution. Follow Rising Phoenix on X (@EURisingPhoenix) and Instagram (@elonrisingphoenix). Are you interested in joining this initiative as a content creator (video, graphics, writing, storytelling, or more)? Contact Chase Strawser at [email protected].

–ELON–