Girls flag football reached its latest milestone in Illinois over the Bears' bye weekend.

The Illinois High School Association held the inaugural State Championship just eight months after sanctioning the sport. While 154 teams competed in the state series this season, just eight teams advanced to championship weekend at Willowbrook High School. William Fremd earned the first-ever IHSA Flag Football State Champion title after defeating Guilford 24-12 Saturday.

While the Bears didn't play host to the championship game for the first time since the sport's inception in 2022, the club continued to show its support.

The Bears, led by manager of youth and high school football Gustavo Silva, were catalysts in girls flag football's rapid growth across Illinois. They helped expand the program from 22 teams in 2022 and anticipate more than 200 teams in 2025. Now, the club is focused on the equity aspect of girls flag football, which includes additional coaching, officiating, attention and college scholarship opportunities.

"It was incredible to be part of the first IHSA State Championship and witness the sport's growth and impact since 2022," Silva said. "The Bears are focused on providing continued support, celebrating the girls and empowering them to have the same platform as the boys do. Sanctioning was a milestone, but it's not the end."

Silva was joined Saturday by chief operating officer and executive vice president of stadium development Karen Murphy and chairman George H. McCaskey. Murphy served as the honorary captain at the title game while McCaskey served on the officiating crew in both semifinal games and the championship contest.

For Murphy, it was rewarding to see her favorite sport being played and enjoyed by young girls across the state. The day reminded her of how impactful trying a new sport in high school was to her adolescence.

"I was really proud to see all of the hard work of the athletes and coaches come together," Murphy said. "To be part of the inaugural IHSA game was absolutely amazing. I was the beneficiary of Title IX and I played on my high school's first-ever golf and soccer teams, so I have a deep appreciation for the power of sport and what it means, especially for women ... all of the important life skills of confidence, humility, camaraderie that come with it. It was amazing. I was emotional because I thought, 'wow, this is the start of something amazing.'"

Murphy was also able to watch McCaskey — who has officiated other sanctioned sports around Illinois for years — in his element.

"George was working really hard. Those down and distance guys are up and down the field," Murphy added. "In typical George fashion — very humble, didn't want any of the attention on him. But I think it's amazing that it just shows the support that our club gives to this program when the chairman will come out and having a working role on game day."

Along with supporting the state tournament, the Bears also held a free flag football clinic for middle school girls and provided CPR training for more than 100 players and coaches across nine schools before the games began.

The American Heart Association and Greta Warren — wife of President & CEO Kevin Warren — helped host the training for those in attendance. In addition to the hands-on learning, each team received its own CPR training kit and a grant to purchase an automated external defibrillator (AED).

The Bears' support of the IHSA tournament came off the heels of the club's trip to London where they promoted girls flag football through a variety of international initiatives including the European Girls Flag Tournament, celebrating three champion teams from Bears-sponsored leagues in the United Kingdom and more.

Silva and the Bears are excited to see both state-wide and international growth of girls flag football as the sport nears its Olympic Games debut in the summer of 2028.

"We know this is just the beginning for girls flag football, not only in the Chicagoland community, but across the globe," Silva added. "The Bears are eager to keep providing new opportunities to young athletes and expand the reach of girls flag while promoting equity in football."