In 2024, flag football became an Illinois High School Association sanctioned sport, with 154 teams participating in the first state series. Fremd won the inaugural IHSA state championship in October.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Flags engender such loyalty and pride, they often become very personal emblems with quirky or quaint nicknames: Old Glory, Union Jack, Maple Leaf — or SOB. That would ...

I think some of the girls kind of surprised themselves," coach Taylor Hay said. "Afterwards, some of them were like, ‘We kind ...

Last year, the Illinois Flag Commission collected almost 5,000 entries of redesigning the old flag. One of those entries was from a Champaign design agency who took second place in the contest.

The current Illinois flag, adopted in 1915, features the eagle from the state seal on a white background. The word "Illinois" was added to the flag in 1970 because it was otherwise so undistinguished.

The redesign contest included 10 new designs, two former state flags and the current one. The current flag received more than 165,000 of the nearly 385,000 votes cast.

In 1970, “Illinois” in block letters was added at the bottom. 10 finalists, plus the current and 2 former flags Last fall, residents were invited to submit their vision for a new standard.

In 1970, “Illinois” in block letters was added at the bottom. 10 finalists, plus the current and 2 former flags Last fall, residents were invited to submit their vision for a new standard.

In 1970, “Illinois” in block letters was added at the bottom. 10 finalists, plus the current and 2 former flags Last fall, residents were invited to submit their vision for a new standard.