Sparta
The second official season of White County Warriorette Flag Football starts this month and here's what you need to know about this upcoming season.
First off, if you are new to flag football, you're not alone. This year will be the first season that is fully sanctioned by the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association. The TSSAA made the vote back in June 2025 to fully sanction the sport after a season being labeled as an emerging sport. This makes Tennessee one of seventeen states to have flag football as a varsity sport.
With the popularity of the sport rising nationwide, when the time came from the TSSAA to attempt to bring the sport to the Volunteer State, White County High School Principal Greg Wilson and Athletic Director Terry Crain didn't hesitate to bring it to Sparta.
"The TSSAA brought flag football to a few schools in Rutherford County as a test on how it would be welcomed as a high school sport and to see if there would be interest in girl's flag football on the high school level. The TSSAA had brought up in meetings previously that the NFL teams and other sponsors were wanting to do this on a national level,” Wilson explained to the Main Street Journal. “Several of my colleagues in Florida had already started teams a few years ago and were having success. Coach Crain and I discussed the possibilities of the sport expanding to the state level after the trail run in Rutherford County. We were very interested in WCHS to get involved, because our Powder Puff games during Homecoming week are one of the highlights of the week. It gave more opportunities to our female students to be involved in extracurricular activities. It was an easy decision for Coach Crain and I to add Flag Football here at WCHS."
Before the inaugural season of Flag Football at White County, Wilson saw an eagerness in his Warriorettes to hit the field.
"They were excited and eager to play. They didn't know all the rules, but they were ready to represent the Warriors. And they became more excited when we had our first Warriorette receive a college scholarship. They loved getting to play in Warrior Stadium and hear their names called out as Warriorette Flag football players. We work to give them everything they need and a great field to play on. These young ladies are WCHS athletes and deserve the very best.” Wilson said, adding that after hearing some schools refused to let their flag football players on their football fields while others don’t even have a field available, White County stepped up to assist. “We have even let other schools use our field because they do not have a boy's football team. WCHS wants the sport to grow and give young ladies an opportunity to shine in the sport of Flag Football."
Sparta had a successful inaugural season ending 10-4 overall with a 9-3 district record.
One of last year's star players is a familiar name to Warriorette fans. In her freshman year Sara Winfree led in receiving yards per game with 45.7 yards, and she also had the most flag pulls per game with 2.5. For new fans, "flag pulls" are the equivalent to "tackles". Winfree also had the most touchdowns on the team with nine.
The head coach last season was Roger Mason, and he'll be back again to lead the helm for the 2026 season. Mason will head into the season with his two assistants, Siera Griffin and Tracy Mason.
"Siera is a former soccer coach and coaches the team on speed, agility, and conditioning,” Mason said that each assistant brings unique strengths to the coaching staff. “Tracy was an assistant last year where she helped coach defense and was the team’s character/integrity coach - think hype girl!"
Looking ahead to the 2026 season, Mason spoke about the strengths of this year's squad, "We have a very diverse team of real athletes with lots of talent across the spectrum. Speed and agility are two areas that stand out as strengths for this group.”
“We also have some girls that are able to pass the football with distance and accuracy. This is something we struggled with a bit last season and will be an asset for us this year,” Mason continued, citing a new rule change that allows rushing from anywhere versus the 5 yards offset that was used last season as an ignitor behind needing to change White County’s passing game. “Being able to deliver the football quickly and accurately will be an advantage."
Mason talked about this season's challenges and goals for the Warriorettes, including a district realignment, multi-sport athletes, and overall infamiliarity with the sport.
"We moved up to Class AA this season and have a tough schedule,” he explained. “We will be competing against schools with 2000 plus enrollments. Our girls are competitive and will be competitors in this region, but with several girls playing basketball - and considering how good they are and the likelihood they will make it to State - we may not have some key players for the first two games.”
Mason said that despite moving from Single A to Double this season, he is expecting the same level or performance that led the Warriorettes to a 10-4 record in 2025.
"Obviously, we want it all and will be disappointed if we fall short of a championship, but my ultimate goal for the girls is for them to have fun and be presented with opportunities to play at the next level if that's what they want,” he said. “This sport is blowing wide open, and the sky is the limit at this point. It all boils down to who wants it bad enough."
In a recent announcement, from one of Main Street Media's radio stations, you'll be able to hear Warriorette flag football on the airwaves. The games will be broadcast on 92.7 YERT FM and listeners will hear the familiar voice of Paxton Elmore this spring.
Elmore, who has been calling White County football and basketball games for three seasons on 92.7 YERT FM, said that he is excited to bring the rising sport to a wider audience as he begins calling flag football games for the first time this year.
"I think it is wonderful that Yert FM is broadcasting the games. We want the community to know we have added another sport and WCHS has young ladies who are talented and can use this opportunity to go to the next level and be student athletes in the sport of Flag Football,” WCHS Principal Greg Wilson was quite pleased when the radio-coverage announcement was made “We appreciate the growing partnership with Main Street Media."
We are just days away from a rising nationwide sport getting underway for its second season in White County. Make sure you support your Warriorettes by heading out to Dee Harris Field at Warrior Stadium, listening to their games on 92.7 YERT FM, and checking in on the Main Street Journal - Sparta for all your post-game coverage.
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