Hall of Fame Head Coach Keith Knoop returns to the sidelines for the first time since 2015 to coach the first-ever flag football team at John Burroughs High School 

A brand new sport will be launching at John Burroughs High School as they will be adding a girls’ flag football team to its sports lineup. Keith Knoop will return to the sidelines for the first time since 2015 to serve as the head coach of the program. Knoop, entering year 32 working at Burroughs, currently serves as the school’s co-athletic director which was a role he’s served since 2018. 

Knoop’s notable accomplishments include guiding the then Burroughs Indians football team to five Pacific League titles in 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2015 during his 19 years of serving as head football coach. He was inducted into the Burroughs Hall of Fame in 2016.

The Coaching Staff under Keith Knoop for the inaugural girls flag football team will include Rodger Ghaman (head junior varsity head coach), Katie Taix (assistant coach), and Karin Knoop (John Burroughs High School Athletic Hall of Famer Class of 1988). “I’m extremely excited. This is historic that John Burroughs High School was able to launch a girls’ flag football program,” said Keith Knoop. Knoop admitted that he is still getting back into his coaching groove since it’s been a long time since he last coached a team at John Burroughs High School. 

The 2025 John Burroughs High School girls varsity flag football roster will feature 20 players, including nine seniors & juniors, along with two sophomores. Alyssa Pracha will headline the senior class, while Genea Kiefer will headline the junior class on the team. Pracha and Kiefer will be two-sport athletes this year, as Pracha will be playing varsity basketball, and Kiefer will play varsity soccer following the 2025 girls’ flag football season. 

The John Burroughs Bears girls’ flag football will begin its inaugural season on Tuesday, August 12 at South Hills, which will be the first game of a two-game road trip with kickoff scheduled for 5:00 p.m. The Bears will play their home opener on Monday, August 18, against Lancaster, which will be a 6:00 p.m. start, and their regular season finale will be against Paramount at home with kickoff slated for 3:30 p.m.