Katie Bisgrove’s journey from a high school flag football star to a standout freshman goalkeeper at Elon highlights her passion, resilience and the growing opportunities for female athletes.
Before she wore No. 2 as the goalkeeper for the Elon University women’s soccer team, freshman Katie Bisgrove wore No. 10 for a different shade of maroon.
During her sophomore year, Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood, New Jersey, launched a pilot program for a new varsity sport – an all-girls flag football team. Now collecting accolades and praise as one of the CAA’s finest in her freshman campaign, Bisgrove reflected upon her journey with the sport and its future.
Bisgrove’s beginnings with flag football began in her male-dominated local recreational league. As one of few girls, she developed a love and passion for the sport. Her experience fueled her excitement when it was announced her high school was one of the chosen few to add a team sponsored by the New York Jets.
“I wanted to play tackle when I was younger, but my parents wouldn’t let me do that,” Bisgrove said with a grin.
“I played in a [recreational] league that was mostly boys. There were maybe three or four girls,” Bisgrove said. “When I found out that they were bringing an all-girls league to my high school, I was super excited and I jumped on the opportunity as fast as I could.”
A goalkeeper on the soccer pitch for the Ridgewood Maroons, Bisgrove took on a new challenge as a dual-sport athlete. Quickly, Bisgrove found her role on the gridiron as the team’s starting quarterback and safety.
Even though the two sports did not share the spring season at the high school level, Bisgrove was juggling collegiate recruitment for soccer, honing her abilities at the club soccer level and her responsibilities with the flag football team.
“I was super passionate about those sports,” Bisgrove said. “I was willing to do whatever it took to be able to step on the field whenever I was needed for both teams.”
“We had 6 a.m. practices because we weren’t technically a state sport yet,” Bisgrove added. “I would wake up, have a 6 a.m. flag practice, go to school and then have club [soccer] practices at night.”
The early practices and stress of all her commitments never slowed her down. In her senior campaign, Bisgrove passed for over 2,000 yards and 37 touchdowns. Her efforts culminated in recognition as the state’s Offensive Player of the Year. That same year, she recorded over 100 saves as a goalie, earning all-league and all-county honors. Bisgrove had grown into one of the best in the state in two different sports.
“For me, [flag football] is something that I wanted to have fun with because as much as I love soccer, it was stressful at times with recruiting,” Bisgrove said. “I let flag football be my outlet and then I took it from there, and it ended up being super fun. I think I probably loved it just as much as soccer.”
As part of the pilot program, Bisgrove and her team received immense support from the NFL. Following a near-perfect regular season, Ridgewood made it to the state championship game. The game was hosted at MetLife Stadium – home to the NFL’s New York Giants and Jets.
“It was surreal for sure,” Bisgrove said. “The Jets actually gave us our own lockers in the locker room. We got to do a walk-in photo shoot and overall, they treated us so well.”
Bisgrove took the Maroons the distance, claiming the state title and raising the trophy in the same place as many sports legends.
“It was insane to be playing at MetLife stadium, and all my family and friends were there watching. To be able to hoist that trophy in such a big stadium where the pros play, it was an absolutely insane experience,” Bisgrove said.
The team’s partnership with the Jets offered more than 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] hooked us up with Pro Bowl tickets, we got to go watch the flag football game there,” Bisgrove added. “A couple of weeks ago, my teammates went to the Jets Luncheon in New York City. They got to meet 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 introducing athletes nationwide to the possibilities of flag football.
“The NFL and community as a whole was super supportive,” Bisgrove said. “It was cool to play a sport that was all about female empowerment and see how that impacted future generations of young female athletes. I had a platform as an athlete to inspire younger females and lead the way in a new sport.”
At the midpoint of her freshman season, Bisgrove was ranked the 74th-best freshman by TopDrawerSoccer. Now, as she progresses through her rookie year, Bisgrove consistently applies the lessons she learned on the football field to her experiences on Rudd Field.
“Playing flag football taught me different values,” Bisgrove said. “Football is such a different sport, and the values they preach there – work ethic, grit, resilience – are all things I learned.”
“As far as being a quarterback, it is similar to being a goalkeeper,” Bisgrove added. “You have to read the field, there’s a lot of pressure on you. Sometimes a team is on your shoulders, but you also have to rely on every single person on the field.”
From her arrival to the sport to her departure, flag football across the country saw extreme growth with record-high programs being piloted and 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’s an option for them and a path they can take if they choose,” Bisgrove said. “I’ve seen personally, I’ve helped coach some younger girls in our clinics in my hometown or Jets clinics and I just see the way they look up to us.”
“I wish I had that when I was younger, but it’s cool that I’m the one they’re looking up to and that we’re proving to these younger athletes that girls can play football too,” Bisgrove added. “Girls really can do anything that guys can do. It’s just super cool to be creating that opportunity to be a trailblazer in this relatively new sport.”
For the first time, flag football will be on the Olympic stage in 2028. Bisgrove is excited to watch the sport’s growth as a spectator and see a few familiar faces repping the red, white and blue.
“I’m super excited to watch flag football in 2028 in LA because I know some of the girls who will probably and hopefully make the team from the Army Bowl in Texas,” Bisgrove said. “I’m super excited to watch it and to watch it on an international level and to see how it grows. In the next five or six years, it could definitely become a Division I sport, and I think it’ll keep growing from there.”
Reflecting on her athletic journey thus far, Bisgrove focused on the impact that both sports have had on her. From the pitch to the field, each experience has shaped her growth as an athlete and individual.
“As an athlete, you have a platform no matter how big or small it is, and your actions affect those around you,” Bisgrove said. “I’m glad that I played the sport. Being a multi-sport athlete in general and some of the concepts and values I’ve learned from flag football, I’ve definitely taken with me here onto the soccer field and in my life.”
“The thought of flag football is so bittersweet to me because it truly was one of the best things that happened to me. It really did change my life,” Bisgrove added. “As sad as I am that I probably won’t ever play on a competitive level again, as I reflect, I am grateful for what this sport has taught me.”
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