Sisterhood of The Traveling Flags

On the field they’re fierce competitors. Off the field, they’re a family. The flag football team has created much more than just a sports program. Many team members were injured after their first game on Sept.18 and were out for the rest of the season. However the girls continued to show up for each other both on and off the field. From early morning practice before school to winning their second game of the season the girls were determined to succeed. With the help of their coaches Katelynn Beamish-Sanchez, Brenda Quintero and Maureen Fegan, the team feels they have created a welcoming positive environment for all the players. 

“They all see each other as sisters and before flag football I don’t think they would know each other especially incoming freshmen,” Team captain, Rebecca Solano, 12, said. 

Their chemistry extends beyond football. The team works together and manages good strong team relationships. Players often hang out after practice. They have made it a big factor to prepare mentally and physically for upcoming games, to be successful and win. What started as a new sport for most of them has grown into a family-like community.

“ You can’t get stuck in the negative of loss, you just have to persevere,” Chloe Macias, 11, said.

The team captains and coaches have prioritized good sportsmanship. Helping the team work through their losses and find areas of improvement. Since flag football is a newer sport to the California Interscholastic Federation, Having had its inaugural season last year. The team uses their losses as learning opportunities. Before a game they plan practice around their weaknesses as a team. This method has helped the team modify their plays and develop new skills on the field. 

“We won our first JV game last week and I was in that game the whole time. I felt really accomplished and I felt like a champion. We were all happy for each other,” Dalilah Gainey, 9, said.

The girls’ strong mindset lets them keep on going and not let their previous games define them. The flag football teams captains use their losses to practice and prepare for their upcoming games. With this preparation the girls feel more confident and proud of themselves. Keeping their energy high even after dealing with losses helps maintain a nice healthy community for the girls. Even though the girls come across impolite people they decide to take it out on the field. 

“When we played San Pasqual, they beat us real bad but it was a really beautiful moment to watch the team come together and work through the struggle and feelings of disappointment and frustration and be closer as a team,” Beamish said.