Naperville Central has recently named a new head girls flag football coach. Caroline Schwartz, the head girls flag football coach at Benedictine University, will lead the team in their first season at NCHS and other high schools in the area for the 2025 fall season as an official IHSA sport for the first time.
“It was a no-brainer [to hire Schwartz],” Jeff Plackett, Central’s Athletic Director, said. “She’s somebody who’s really well known in the Illinois flag football community, and we really think that we got the best candidate this time.”
An avid sports enthusiast, Schwartz has been playing sports like field hockey, basketball, and soccer since she was in high school. However, her high school didn’t offer girls’ flag football.
“We would have absolutely loved [flag football] and definitely done it,” Schwartz said. “It was more so just like let’s do this kind of silly powder puff event and see how the girls do in our sport – football.”
After finishing college at the University of Illinois and briefly teaching in Houston, Texas, Schwartz began teaching at Lane Tech College Prep High School in Chicago. There, she played a pivotal role in establishing the first girls’ flag football team at the school.
When Lane Tech won state last year, the team was honored on Soldier Field during halftime at a Chicago Bears game.
“[The Bears] invited us to a game, and we sat in the second row and had Caleb Williams shirts on. All my girls got to run out of the tunnel onto the field. It was just an unreal experience.” Schwartz said.
Currently, Schwartz is coaching girls flag football full-time at Benedictine University, and she decided to apply to coach for high school too. After applying to coach at both Naperville Central and Naperville North, Schwartz ultimately decided to coach at Central.
“I interviewed [at Central] first, and it was kind of meant to be,” Schwartz said. “Everyone I talked to was super, super excited about flag football, and I could feel that energy. I didn’t even end up interviewing at North because I felt like Central was home.”
Schwartz has “big goals” for the Girls’ flag football team going into their first-ever season.
“I’ve heard great things about athletes at Central, and so we’re going in pretty hot. I definitely want to get regionals or even state for the first time.”
As someone who has never gotten to play high school football before, Schwartz is beyond excited to coach her own team.
“It’s been a whirlwind. I’m living out this dream that I was never able to dream about,” Schwartz said. “The growth of women’s sports in general has been really amazing to see.”
Girls’ flag football is being introduced as an Olympic sport the 2028 games.
“I can see some of my girls – current Benedictine athletes – and potentially some NCHS flag football athletes that could actually play in the Olympics.” Schwartz said.
Schwartz is planning on having flag football clinics over the summer, to get Central athletes interested in the sport.
“I truly believe any girl can do it if they want to learn and put effort into it. I’ve seen girls who have never played a sport in their life excel at it,” Schwartz said. “Just try it, and you’ll probably fall in love with it.”