District 88 Board of Education recognizes Willowbrook Girls Flag Football Team and Head Coach for fall State-level accomplishments

During its Dec. 8 meeting, the District 88 Board of Education, along with the administration, celebrated members of the Willowbrook Girls Flag Football Team for their State-level achievement from the fall season of the 2025-26 school year. The Warriors earned 3^rd place in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Girls Flag Football State Championship, which was hosted at Willowbrook.

To view a list of the students who were honored, along with their recognitions, go to www.dupage88.net/StateRecognitionsFall2025-26.

The board and administration also recognized Rachel Karos, Head Coach of the Willowbrook Girls Flag Football Team, for being selected by the IHSA administrative staff as the recipient of the 2024-25 Girls Flag Football Coach of the Year Award. Karos earned this prestigious honor based on her positive work with flag football athletes at Willowbrook and beyond. She is now eligible to advance in the competition at the sectional and national levels.

Karos is no stranger to women’s football and is a true pioneer for the sport, helping to enhance it throughout Illinois, the U.S. and internationally. She also continues to guide the Willowbrook Girls Flag Football Team to success and a historic legacy.

• In 2022, the team won the inaugural Chicago Bears Girls Flag Football State Championship and followed it up with a regional title in Ohio. In 2023 and 2025, they placed third at the state championship, solidifying their place as a top-tier program.
  
  
• In 2024, Karos was honored as the inaugural Chicago Bears Flag Football Coach of the Week.
  
  
• Karos is the backup quarterback for The Chicago Winds, a tackle football team in the Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC). She also plays flag football for the Chicago Mayhem.
  
  
• Karos was chosen as a coach for USA Football’s Select Bowl (along with Willowbrook Girls Flag Football Assistant Coach Nick Hildreth), which took place this past June.

During the meeting, the board and administration presented Karos with a memento in recognition of her leadership, innovation, passion and commitment.

To watch the presentations, click on the videos above.

To view a photo gallery from the meeting, see the images below. Click on the images for photo captions.