CLEVELAND — The Olympics may be over, but people have begun to look ahead to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Those Olympic Games will feature new additions to the Games, such as men and women’s flag football.

For North Ridgeville resident Isabella Geraci, it's a dream come true.

Geraci began playing flag football at just 7 years old. Then she played tackle football in middle school and her freshman year of high school, where she was the only girl on the team.

“It's always been my favorite sport, but at that age I was just thinking there’s nowhere I can go with it,” Geraci said.

Her freshman year high school coach, Luke Durbin, said Geraci belonged on the team and everyone knew it.

“I’ve got a 5-year-old daughter, and she loves going outside and throwing the football with her older brothers and for so long that’s been a dream that unfortunately girls could not have had because they were just not given that opportunity to play the game of football,” Durbin said.

Geraci is playing for the USA Football’s Women’s Flag National Team in the World Championships in Finland this month. Next, her eyes will be on the Olympics. She said the Olympics is a huge step and will put a spotlight on women’s flag football. Coach Durbin is excited about what this could mean for Geraci and any woman looking to get into the sport.

“It’s great for Izzy. It’s great for any young girl growing up that wants to get involved,” Durbin said.

Geraci played basketball at Cleveland State but said she wasn’t ever good enough to be an Olympian in basketball, but she explained that she thinks she has a chance at making the Olympic team for women’s flag football.

“Now for my sport that I’ve loved all my life, to be able to say that I could do that with that sport, it’s just really exciting to me, and I’m very grateful to be here,” Geraci said.

Geraci said she looks at her younger self and wishes she had the same opportunities in football as there is now but is glad she can help create them for young girls.