Clarksburg Star Aysia Jones-Robinson Is Leading Maryland’s Girls Flag Football Revolution

Quarterback and defensive standout Aysia Jones-Robinson has Clarksburg chasing a second straight state championship — and she’s become one of the faces of a fast-growing sport transforming high school athletics across America.

Clarksburg flag football player Aysia Jones-Robinson / Harry Lichtman

Recently, girls flag football has become a major high school sport in the U.S. For Clarksburg High School in Maryland, junior Aysia Jones-Robinson has been looking to revolutionize flag football.

Jones-Robinson, who plays both quarterback on offense and cornerback on defense, led Clarksburg to Maryland's first high school girls flag football state championship in 2024.

"It's a blessing," said Jones-Robinson. "A lot of schools have it now, and not a lot of people make it. For us to be one of those teams that do, it feels amazing."

The Spark Behind the Coyotes’ Dominance

For 2025, the Coyotes finished the regular season as the top girls flag football team in Montgomery County with a perfect 10-0 record. They went on to crush Paint Branch 42-8 in the County Championship.

The 2025 Maryland girls flag football playoffs began in late October, with Clarksburg being the top seed in the 4A-3A West Region. They shut out Oakdale 41-0 in the second round on Nov. 1, with Jones-Robinson throwing three touchdown passes and rushing for a score.

Building Team Chemistry and Bonds

"First, to do it the first time, nobody did it," said Jones-Robinson. "The second time, we're more connected than we were last year. We have a great team chemistry, great team bond. I think we have the potential to go back, and I think it fully."

Last year, Montgomery, the largest public school system in Maryland, launched girls flag football as a pilot program along with Baltimore City and Washington County. This resulted in the Coyotes' program coming into play.

From a New Sport to a Movement

"I saw that it was a new sport at the school," said Jones-Robinson. "I told my friends, 'Let's do it.' We got good at it, and we just never stopped from there."

Clarksburg girls flag football head coach Kyle Landefeld has done a remarkable job with Jones-Robinson and the team in general. He also happens to be a social studies teacher at the school.

"I'll tell you what, you just never know what's going to happen," said Landefeld. "But you know it's always going to be good. As a coach, you just sit there and smile and go, 'This life's good.' So I love it."

"Landy's a great coach," said Jones-Robinson. "We have a great coaching staff, great supported staff. It's just a great program, great energy around everybody. Nobody thinks they're better than somebody else. It's great energy."

Clarksburg quarterback Aysia Jones-Robinson in action in the team's second-round playoff game vs. Oakdale. / Harry Lichtman

The Product of a Family of Athletes

Jones-Robinson was born on July 6th, 2009 at Holy Cross Medical Center in Silver Spring, Md. Her mother Angelica Jones, her father Willie Robinson IV, and her brother Willie Robinson V are also athletes in their own way.

Angelica played basketball and softball, and still plays flag football, while Willie IV played tackle football and basketball. Willie V currently plays tackle football and basketball for Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg.

While she may go to Clarksburg, Jones-Robinson lives in Germantown with her family. "For me to transition to a new school with people I didn't know was very different," she said.

Two-Sport Star With a Bright Future

Jones-Robinson first got into sports when she was just two years old, showing mainly an interest in basketball.

"I was playing basketball since I was two," said Jones-Robinson. "For me to take on another sport, I felt like the challenge would have been difficult. But it wasn't, and i got good at it. It was just up from there."

The Clarksburg junior happens to be a two-sport athlete with flag football and basketball at the school. She has shown her remarkable athleticism in both sports.

"We have a great basketball program," said Jones-Robinson. "We also have a great flag program. For us to transition over, it was a big step, but we got it done."

Inspired by the Greats

Jones-Robinson's sports idols include NFL quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels, NBA legend Kobe Bryant, and WNBA star Angel Reese. However, most people have compared her style of play to that of Jackson.

"I feel like it's a huge comparison," Jones-Robinson stated about the Ravens quarterback. "Especially since he's one of the people I admire the most, and take after his game a lot."

Throughout the 2025 season, High School on SI has conducted weekly Maryland high school girls flag football Player of the Week polls. Jones-Robinson has been nominated multiple times for her incredible performances.

"It feels good," said Jones-Robinson. "Because not a lot of people get it. For me to get it multiple times, it feels really good."

Whether she passes for four or five touchdowns, or over 150 or 200 yards, Jones-Robinson feels proud to be representing the state of Maryland for high school girls flag football.

"It's a big, big blessing," said Jones-Robinson. "It's a big opportunity. I can't thank nobody else but God, and putting me in this predicament. I thank my parents for also putting me in this predicament as well."

A Trailblazer for the Next Generation

As for her athletics future, Jones-Robinson hasn't thought much about it as she is only a junior in high school. For now, basketball seems to be in the cards for her eventual college decision.

"I haven't thought about it yet," said Jones-Robinson. "But I would like to go to a college where i could get a scholarship for basketball and flag as well."

Coach Landefeld feels very confident about Jones-Robinson's future, as she will most likely get to play one more season when she is a senior in 2026.

"She's a gifted athlete," said Landefeld. "She's just got to make some decisions on where she wants to go with this. The sky's the limit."

With the way girls flag football has been growing in high schools across the U.S., it's only a matter of time before more American colleges add it as an official sport.

"It would give more women opportunities to play more sports in college," said Jones-Robinson. "It would boost their confidence, I think. A lot of people would come out and try out for the sport."