From Division I college basketball to championing a new era in flag football, Isabelle (Izzy) Geraci is a U.S. Flag National wide receiver with a passion for pivoting and defying limitations. Read on to learn more about how she found her way back to the sport she calls home, and what the future holds for her athletic career.
TOGETHXR: Hi Izzy! Thanks for chatting with us today. Can you tell us about your journey to flag football and how you got into the sport?
Izzy Geraci (IG): I grew up playing tackle. I had football rooted in me. I grew up watching the Buckeyes and the Browns and just always loved the sport. I knew I probably wouldn't be able to play tackle in college. I switched to basketball, focused on that, and played that for five years. During my time in college, I loved basketball, but I always felt like football was my true calling, as goofy as it sounds. I always felt happiest playing the sport, and I missed it so much. [While] playing college basketball, I wonder[ed] if there [was] a women's tackle league. Then I found out there was, and I looked into that while I was still in school.
By the time I had finished my fifth year, my plan was to try to play women's tackle. I started reaching out to people, and then I stumbled upon flag. I thought, ‘Maybe I want to do this instead.’ I heard about how popular it was getting, and I thought it was cool that it was different from what I'm used to. I started reaching out to people in the flag world and got pointed in the right direction. From then on, I dove headfirst into it. I started playing locally in Charlotte, where I was living at the time. I played in tournaments, then bigger tournaments, and [eventually] got scouted by the national team. That's really where it all happened.
TOGETHXR: What was that day like, when you found out that the U.S. National Team was interested in talking with you? What was going through your mind at that point?
IG: It’s crazy because everything happened so quickly. It was about a three to four-month span. I was playing tournaments and competing with some of the girls who were (or had been) on the USA team. Word got around that invites were going out for the tryout process. I got my invite, and I just remember thinking, ‘No way. There is no way this is going on right now.’
Sixty women got invited. I made the cut to 18, then to 12, and then I made the final roster. That same year – probably six months after I started playing flag – we won a gold medal. It was the craziest whirlwind of events. I still have trouble grasping that it happened. At that moment, it was tough for me to be where my feet were. It was an absolute honor.
TOGETHXR: You grew up playing a lot of different sports: basketball, track and field, and tackle football. Are there any skills from the sports that you played previously that you feel really translate to the football field?
IG: You name it, I probably played it growing up — except hockey. I played just about all the main sports. With basketball, the hand-eye coordination translates really well. Also, the short-distance sprint bursts. In flag football, the field is really compact. I feel like the ability to have that burst of speed is important. From a defensive point of view in basketball, you're watching hips, you're trying to be able to do a zigzag drill, and trying to stay in line with somebody without being too aggressive. I feel like those things translate as well. High-pointing a ball is just like getting a rebound.
Soccer players are probably up there, too, and then track athletes. Being fast and dynamic. I feel like track and field athletes are all-around athletes. Flag is the type of sport where you have to be good at everything – quick and mobile. I am so thankful for all the sports I’ve played because they’ve made me a better athlete and a better flag football player.
TOGETHXR: You’ve mentioned that the transition from tackle to flag football may be more difficult than people think. Can you describe the key differences between tackle and flag?
IG: Flag athletes are super dynamic, nimble, and quick. You have to be able to move in every direction and play both sides of the ball. It's a no-contact sport. As a receiver in tackle, you can use your hands to create separation, and as a defender, you can use your hands to try to lock onto someone. With flag, it's a very offense-oriented sport. As a [flag football] defender, you've got to give them a little cushion. You can play through the ball, but not really. It's tough to get used to that.
It's so different because it's five-on-five on a smaller field. You have to be able to react in the backfield, move on your feet, and think quickly. There's no line that's blocking. There are a lot of things that translate, but the speed of the game [is different] too. It's a lot quicker because it’s a smaller field with fewer people.
I'd say flag pulling is one of the hardest things to do. Our girls on defense are diving across the field to grab a flag. I can't even grab them square up. I have to focus so hard, and they're just diving left and right. It blows my mind every time. There are a lot of little nuances. Coming from both, I think they’re two different sports.
TOGETHXR: How are you feeling in the lead-up to LA28? What are your expectations and hopes for the debut of flag football at the Olympics?
IG: I'm so excited for flag football to be able to have that platform. It's already growing so quickly, but once it's there, it's just gonna boom even more. It makes me excited for the younger girls and boys in the sport. As you said earlier, a lot of girls transition from other sports to flag, but in the future, it's gonna be girls who just want to grow up and play flag football. That, to me, is the craziest, most exciting part of it. I'm looking forward to that.
With it being in LA and the sport of football, we gotta put on for the country. My first year getting into the sport was when they voted to allow flag football into the Olympics. I just remember being around the girls who were already on the team and how excited they were.
TOGETHXR: Flag football is growing exponentially, with some states making it an officially sanctioned high school sport and more collegiate teams popping up. What's it like to see this growth?
IG: I think that's why we all play — to help grow the sport. Hopefully, we'll have girls who just want to be flag football players. I love multi-sport athletes. To grow up and play flag football professionally, that's the hope.
Being able to get a scholarship to play the sport is so exciting. I remember getting one to play basketball, but if I had the choice to play flag on a scholarship now, it would have been a tough decision. It's exciting to see it put on that stage — for girls to earn that scholarship and take those first few steps towards getting recruited. To experience that in the sport truly makes it feel more real. I think a lot of people look at it as a fun little backyard sport. [They assume] it'll go nowhere. Now that it's getting legitimate attention and colleges are picking it up, it's real, and it's here to stay. I'm very proud to be at the forefront of that with my teammates.
TOGETHXR: You mentioned that the sport's growth means more opportunities for scholarships and even endorsements. A couple of years ago, a company like Red Bull might not have had a flag football athlete on its roster. What does it mean to you to have Red Bull recognize this emerging sport and recognize you as an athlete leading the way?
IG: It's an absolute dream. This is honestly my dream partnership. Whenever I was asked that, this was the one. I'm super proud to wear the Red Bull hat, be an athlete, and have all the resources that come with it.
They have such an awesome past of amazing athletes. It’s cool to be able to stand with those other athletes. Growing up, I played other sports like snowboarding, and I watched other snowboarders get their Red Bull helmets. Getting my hat is so surreal to me. I still cannot get over it because I grew up dreaming of that. To be able to say that now is the craziest, most full-circle moment ever. It's honestly just an honor because this partnership truly feels like family. I'm very thankful.
TOGETHXR: You're very active on social media and have gone viral a couple of times. Is that side of being a professional athlete — the media aspect — something you enjoy?
IG: At first, it was something I'd started doing for fun. I'm into art and storytelling. I thought it'd be cool to show what life was like as a college basketball player. Then it turned into flag, and I changed the content up a little bit. It's something I truly love. The sport isn't as big as other mainstream sports, so it's a way to get those endorsements, express myself, and show people what flag is about. It's growing the game and growing my own brand at the same time. It's super cool because I always have younger girls reaching out through social media, saying, ‘Hey, I saw your video. How do you do that? Can you send me some drills?’
It’s so awesome. I get to help people through it. It still is a love of mine, but I feel like it's also a business, and you create a brand for yourself. I just keep trying my best because it's a job in itself. I love it. I couldn't be happier.
TOGETHXR: What would you say to other young athletes who are thinking about trying flag football?
IG: I would say that it's great to be a multi-sport athlete, so don't just hone in on flag football. I think the reason I am where I am today is that I grew up playing every sport you can think of. Also, I would say that there's a future in it, so don't think that you're just going to be able to play it and it's going to be over.
There are definitely routes that you can take to further your experience, and down the road, you can be a professional at it. That's something I always want to remind people of. You can play in high school now, and it's legitimate. You can play in college now, and you can earn a scholarship. You can play for the national team, and you can be a professional. There are definite steps to continue your career in the sport. I keep trying to preach that to people because they're worried that it's just gonna end after their senior year of high school.
TOGETHXR: Let's pretend we're a few years in the future. There's a booming professional women’s flag football league. Which city would you want a team in, and what would you want the team to be called?
IG: I want it to be in Cleveland just because I'm biased. I just love Cleveland. I'm like the biggest advocate for Cleveland, so I'd love to have a team here. Honestly, I don't know what the name would be. I've never, ever thought of that. I'd have to think about that carefully because I want it to be a good one and pay homage to the city.
TOGETHXR: Clevelanders ride so hard for Cleveland. Is it an Ohio thing? Is it the spirit of the city? What is it?
IG: Honestly, I don't know. I feel like there's a grit behind the people who live here and a willingness to work hard. We go through these terrible winters, and we stick it out. I love it. There are worse winters, but it gets so grey here, and we just fight it out.
We've got the lake life in the summer, so it's super cool. All the pro sports are up here. We got hockey and soccer down in Columbus, but in Cleveland in the summer, it's a beautiful place. We have good food and great people. It's a city that gets overlooked a lot. We just want to give it a little boost.
RAPID FIRE
Favorite album or musician: I've been on an Empire Of The Sun kick. It's just good vibes — it puts me in a great mood. It's getting warmer out, and I feel like that's the type of music you listen to in the summer, so I've been listening to them a lot. Also, Tame Impala. Those two are the first that come to mind for sure.
Your biggest pet peeve: Slow walkers really bother me, especially if I'm stuck behind them. Also, bad drivers and people who litter.
Your go-to road trip snack: I'm 100% grabbing a Red Bull, especially if I'm driving. It's probably a toss-up between candy and chips. I prefer both, honestly. I love sour candy, like Sour Strips or Sour Skittles. If it's chips, maybe Cheez-Its, Zapp’s, or a weird flavor like salt and vinegar. I don't know what it is, but those are good.
One woman athlete from another sport who you think could switch to flag: I feel like some of the rugby girls, especially the 7s players. Then, I'd say some basketball girls. Caitlin Clark has talked about playing flag, too. I think I've heard her say that. I feel like she'd be good. She seems like an all-around great athlete.
A hot take: I think the Cleveland Browns are going to win the Super Bowl. I'm giving them a lot of breathing room — within my lifetime. I feel like that's a pretty hot take, since a lot of people might disagree. I give them 20 years.