The beginning of the school year marks new seasons for OHS’s beloved fall sports: swim and dive team, cross country, pom, badminton, golf, girls’ volleyball, and, of course, boys’ football. However, this August also marks the beginning of a new team on campus–girls’ flag football.
The Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) greenlighted girls’ flag football to join high school rosters in December of 2022. It did not take long for OHS to join schools like Chandler, Hamilton, and Canyon View in bringing it to their campuses. While tryouts and practices officially began on August 7th, both the coach and the team started putting in the work last school year and over the summer in preparation for the season’s start.
“We pretty much started in the spring, open to anyone who’s interested,” said Michael Webber, girls’ flag football coach. “Then from there, we went through a summer camp program when school was out.”
The intense summer training included two and a half weeks of practices, focused not only on building skills on the field, but also on spending time in the classroom and learning the basics of flag football. However, the focal point of all the training, drills, and hard work was not just to create exceptional players.
“I work diligently trying to create that culture where the players really get to know each other, bring each other in,” Webber said.
Creating a cohesive team that knows how to work together remains the most crucial aspect of this new group in the coach’s eyes.
“[He] wants it like a family. No gossip, no drama. We’re all like a sisterhood,” said Becky Currence, sophomore.
This type of cohesion is not the only noteworthy aspect of the girls’ flag football team; the group has also become a pathway for female athletes to enter traditionally masculine sports and activities.
“I wanted to [join] because . . . no girls do flag football. It’s sort of unheard of,” said Macy Ellis, junior. “Sports [are] male-dominated, have always been, so it’s just nice to introduce the opportunity for girls.”
For some players, flag football is a chance to explore a sport that they never dreamed of being able to play. For others, flag football has always been something they loved. Now, students are finally being offered the chance to be on a team and share their passion with others.
“I [have] played football since I was younger, so I feel like it’s just finally my sport,” Currence said. “I want everyone to work together and learn how to play the sport because not a lot of girls know how to play.”
With the team still in its early stages, Coach Webber stresses enjoyment and having fun over winning. Even still, the players hope for a prosperous season.
“[I want] to play a lot and win a lot of games,” Ellis said.
Whether or not the team is successful, the impact of girls’ flag football on campus will remain long after a winning record. Opening new horizons to female athletes has sent a reverberation through OHS, ushering in a generation of girls with a desire to play the sports they love.
“Honestly, we’re kind of making history,” Currence said.
