Victory tastes sweet for Elkhart Lions Girls Flag Football after their first win–in their first game ever!
That’s right, Girls Flag Football is now a sport for Elkhart High School. The team officially had their inaugural game Wednesday, Aug. 27, in South Bend. They rivaled South Bend John Adams High School with a massive victory score of 31-0.
Leading the team is Coach Stephanie Garcia, who brings bundles of support, experience, and passion to the program. Garcia states, “I have been a part of the flag football network at the tournament level as assistant coach for seven years with our Elkhart Cowboys; head coach for one year with our girls team. I have been fortunate enough to watch the girls division grow and become extremely competitive!”
Sophomore Rosmery Reyes Arevalo, a former player with the Elkhart Lions girls flag football team, described the first game as gratifying, stating, “The team put a lot of effort into the practices–it was very rewarding!” For this team of seven, taking the field for the first time might seem scary for a sophomore, but what about for a senior? Trenyce Harris shared that the experience “felt really good,” as it was a chance to finally “show off [the team’s] skills.”
Flag football is a similar sport as the world-famous American football, except there are modified rules and equipment used. Flag football is considered a non-contact sport, with “tackles” made by removing fabric flags off the opponent. Fabric flags come in a pair attached to the player’s waist: one is on each side. And, the teams themselves are smaller–about five to seven players facing off. Unlike American football, there are also a limited number of “downs” to reach a certain amount of yardage and the players have to stay a respectable distance away from the line of scrimmage when they are rushing the quarterback. Yet, the action and intrigue remains untouched. This is not a game for “sissies.”
Women’s flag football emerged in the 1970s and has continued to gain in popularity since. This time period is when the International Women Flag Football Association (IWFFA) was created. Now, the time has come to see what impact it will have on EHS sports.
The Elkhart High School’s Girls Flag Football team has kicked off with a great start. The Lions hit the field once again on Monday, Sept. 8, when they take on East Noble at home. The Unified Flag team will lead off with a game at 6 p.m., followed by Girls Flag.
