IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE PLENTY OF ATHLETIC OPTIONS IN CLARK AND FLOYD COUNTIES WHEN YOU HAVE A BIG CITY LIKE LOUISVILLE ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER.
HOWEVER, AT LEAST ONE THING WAS MISSING ON THE SUNNY SIDE, A CO-ED FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE.
JOSHUA DEERING COACHES HIS KANSAS CITY FLAG FOOTBALL TEAM DURING ITS GAME ON MAY 2 AT SCRIBNER MIDDLE SCHOOL. DEERING WAS COACHING HIS SONS, WHO WERE THANKFUL FOR A LEAGUE IN NEW ALBANY.
That’ s why the Floyd County Parks & Recreation Department decided to create the first flag-football league in the area.
“ It is very important to have this league available, as we are offering a newer sport that is rising in popularity,” Anthony Carey, the Floyd County Parks & Rec program director, said.“ Flag football is a sport that can be played at any age by any skill level, which creates opportunity for kids all around to experience a sport in a fun and competitive way. Having an organized, well-run league can also be crucial to how a first-time athlete might view sports and that is what we have emphasized with this league.”
The new league provided relief for the Deerings from New Albany. For the past couple years, Josh Deering drove his two sons across the river to Fern Creek to play flag football at the Optimist Club there.
“ Seeing flag football come to New Albany and Floyd County, that’ s awesome seeing it drumming up interest and making sure it continue to grow,” Deering said.“ It’ s an Olympic-sport now and it’ s getting much more publicity now. I just feel like it’ s an easy way for kids to step into a sport that maybe tackle-football intimidates them or their parents. Stepping into here might be that stepping-stone to enjoying flag-football enough.”
Tori McCarty, 31, has helped spearhead the local flag-football movement alongside Carey and Matt Denison, superintendent of Floyd County Parks & Rec. McCarty has played flag football semi-professionally with teams in Nashville, Tenn., Charleston, S. C., Atlanta and Cleveland. She played for Dynasty Sports Organization, a flag-football organization out of Atlanta.
“ I have been playing flag football semi-professionally for 10 years and I have traveled all over the country playing flag,” said McCarty, who’ s a Floyd Central High School graduate.“ Matt Denison came to me with the idea of making it a youth sport here and I jumped on to that idea immediately. I have known Matt from my days in basketball when I played in the Hoosier Hills camps and he
RYAN GRACE SR. AND HIS DAUGHTER AFTER HIS WRIGHT IMPLEMENT LIONS PLAYED ON MAY 9TH AT SCRIBNER MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE FLOYD COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE.
PAGE NO. 8 NEWS AND TRIBUNE SPORTS MAGAZINE JULY / AUG 2026