Kaia Anderson, staff writer
Augsburg University has hired Michele Braun as the new head coach for its emerging flag football club. Flag football is a non-contact version of football in the United States instead of tackling, players pull flags from opponents’ waistbands. The flag football club at Augsburg is a new addition to women’s athletics and will also be coached by Johann Perera.
Braun began at Augsburg in the fall of 2025 as an offensive assistant coach for the men’s football team. Her involvement with Augsburg flag football stems from her 28 years of playing and coaching for the Minnesota Vixen, a professional women’s football team in Minneapolis.
Braun is optimistic about the future of flag football at Augsburg. She is confident she will be able to fill out the team and that her players will pick up the rules of the game. “Flag is very coachable—if someone has an athletic background,” she said.
When asked about expectations for the season, she outlined the mission statement for her team: “Pioneering a new era of Auggie athletics by empowering women through competitive excellence, leadership, teamwork and a lasting tradition of flag football.” This statement is supported by the F.L.A.G. acronym: “Foundation, building a legacy from the ground up; Leadership, being leaders on the field, in the classroom and throughout the community; Accountability, owning our roles and results; and Grit, persevering through adversity with heart and relentless energy.” With these goals in mind, flag football is sure to grow into a strong team and become a pillar of the school’s women’s athletics community. When asked about the effect of flag football on this community, Braun said, “I know many of the athletes here have great camaraderie with their peers in other sports and support one another. It will just make our women’s athletics department stronger.” She also went into detail about how flag football has taken off: “Right now in Minnesota, high schools started last year with 52 schools playing flag, with help from a grant from the Minnesota Vikings. For 2026, it has exploded to 104 schools. So many more opportunities for young women to play. And in 2028, women’s and men’s flag football will be an Olympic sport, which will be huge and is very exciting!” Flag football has also been named an emerging sport by the National Collegiate Athletic Association(NCAA), so in the coming years, it may be recognized as an official sport rather than just a club.
The differences between flag and regular football were also highlighted. According to Braun, in flag football, there are no offensive or defensive lines, and plays are simpler, highlighting players’ athleticism. “Speed kills in flag,” she said.
According to Braun, in flag football, there are no offensive or defensive lines, and plays are simpler, highlighting players’ athleticism. “Speed kills in flag,” she said.
michele braun
Braun finished by encouraging anyone to try out for the sport. “I truly love the sport of football and encourage anyone to try out and give it a shot. I love to coach young people and help them improve.”