Cloquet Launches Girls Flag Football Program with Vikings Support

New community education offering aims to grow the sport in Minnesota

Apr. 3, 2026 at 12:00am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the action of a girls flag football game, with sharp planes of color representing the players and ball movement.The new Cloquet girls flag football program aims to capture the energy and excitement of the fast-growing sport through a cubist visual style.Cloquet Today

The Cloquet school district is launching a new girls flag football program this spring, supported by a multi-year grant from the Minnesota Vikings NFL franchise. Nearly three dozen girls turned out for the first practice, exceeding the coaches' expectations. The program will field both varsity and junior varsity teams and compete in the District 3 Gold Division against other schools.

Why it matters

Flag football is one of the fastest growing sports for girls nationwide, with plans for it to debut in the 2028 Olympic Games. The Vikings are supporting the creation of 104 high school flag football programs across Minnesota to drive inclusivity and increase opportunities for girls in sports.

The details

Cloquet assistant coaches Tom Lenarz, Lance Horvat and Matt Solberg, who teaches in nearby Proctor, decided to start the new flag football program after discussing the idea. They secured a $10,000 grant from the Vikings for the first year, with $5,000 and $2,500 in the following two years. Lenarz and Horvat will serve as co-head coaches, with hopes that Niki Whittet could eventually take over the program.

  • The first practice was held on Wednesday, April 2, 2026.
  • The season will open on April 26, 2026 with a game in Proctor.
  • Playoffs will take place on May 30, 2026 in Forest Lake.
  • The state tournament will be held the following weekend at the Vikings facility in Eagan.

The players

Tom Lenarz

Cloquet assistant coach and co-head coach of the new girls flag football program.

Lance Horvat

Cloquet assistant coach and co-head coach of the new girls flag football program.

Matt Solberg

Proctor teacher who helped inspire the Cloquet flag football program after starting a similar one in his district.

Niki Whittet

Cloquet coach who the program hopes could eventually take over the flag football team.

Minnesota Vikings

NFL franchise providing multi-year grants to support the creation of 104 high school girls flag football programs across Minnesota.

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What’s next

The Cloquet girls flag football team will open their season on April 26, 2026 with a game against Proctor. The playoffs are scheduled for May 30, 2026 in Forest Lake, with the state tournament to follow the next weekend at the Vikings facility in Eagan.

The takeaway

The new Cloquet girls flag football program, supported by a multi-year grant from the Minnesota Vikings, represents the growing popularity of the sport nationwide and the Vikings' commitment to increasing opportunities for girls in athletics. The program's launch with nearly three dozen participants shows strong community interest and potential for the sport to thrive in Cloquet.