District 86 adds new sport at Hinsdale South, reverses decision to merge Central and South boys gymnastics

Girls flag football is coming to Hinsdale South for the upcoming fall season, after a unanimous decision by the Hinsdale District 86 School Board on June 27.

The decision to add flag football to the school’s roster of girls’ sports came months after the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) announced the debut of a State Series during the 2024-25 school year.

Physical Education Department Chair Janelle Marconi was appointed head coach of the new team, alongside physical education teacher Mary Rounce as assistant coach.

The season officially begins Aug. 26, leading up to state finals on Oct. 18-19, according to the IHSA.

The Board also decided to maintain separate squads for the boys gymnastics program at Hinsdale South and Central for the upcoming Spring season, reversing a decision made earlier this year.

Low participation and the IHSA downgrading boys gymnastics to an “emerging” sport, effectively doing away with state-hosted tournaments, prompted the District to make a change.

However, parents and community members pushed back against the decision, gathering at a school board meeting in May to voice their support for individual boys gymnastic squads.

“We are planning to run boys gymnastics for a window of the next four years,” Interim Superintendent Rebecca Nelson said during her last D86 school board meeting. “This means boys starting high school this year will have a full career of boys gymnastics.”

The District will review the program yearly to determine the best configuration for that season. “That might mean two separate programs, one at each school, that might mean a single coop program district-wide …  after two years we will revisit our overall commitment,” Nelson said.