Young girls can learn effective teamwork and communication skills by participating in team sports. They will learn to rely on and have faith in their teammates to carry out their duties, which can lead to enduring friendships and camaraderie. The United States Flag Football Association (USFFA) authorized the initial flag football tournament in 1974. There were four women’s teams from Cleveland and Akron, and as more women saw other women participating, they realized this was a chance to, as the Roman poet Horace said, “Carpe diem”. Unlike traditional football, flag football does not involve tackling. Instead, players have flags attached to their waistbands that rivals must pull off to stop the ball carrier. Flag football reduces the chance of injuries and opens up the sport to players of all ages and skill levels. The girls on the flag football team at ACP discover how to set objectives and overcome challenges, cultivating a growth mindset that they can apply to other facets of their lives. In addition to the physical aspects of flag football, it also helps girls create a sense of community and work in a team toward a goal players aspire to achieve: To win. 

On Tuesday, September 5th, the Girl’s Flag Football Team won against Berry Goldwater with a score of 45-6. I had the pleasure to interview one of the players of the team, Alexis Lowther, and her reaction to winning the game was “ecstatic to have beat the other team. Although they weren’t our toughest competitors of the year, they were a good competition, and we fought hard throughout the whole game.” The turning point during the game was “the second half because we were able to switch things up and play different positions. We were able to challenge ourselves more in unfamiliar positions and play them to our best.” I asked Alexis what motivated her to be on the team, and she responded, “At the beginning of the season, I mainly joined the team because I knew some of the girls. Now that I’ve played, I really enjoy the sport, and I like being able to work with a team that has the same goal at the end of the day.” The values she’s learned from being on the girls’ flag football teams are that “while being a part of the team, I learned that you have to fight for your spot. There are so many girls excited to jump in where it’s needed, so if you want some playing time, then you have to be your own self-advocate, work hard, and pay attention.” On a more competitive note, she sees her team values on a more competitive note throughout her time on the team so far.

I asked Alexis regarding how her team helped her succeed academically, and she answered, “My team has allowed me to succeed academically because it gives me a much-needed break from thinking about schoolwork. We do drills every day, so we’re always running and working out, which in the heat is not the easiest thing to do. This helps build up speed, endurance, and skills.” Furthermore, Alexis compares the last few weeks to the way her team started the season. Her team “did not exactly start as a cohesive group, which is a given because we were meeting new people, and we didn’t exactly know our roles on the team. Now, we’re all comfortable with each other, and you can really see it while cheering our team on in games.” In addition to this, I asked her what was next for the Girls’ Flag Football Team, which is “trying to improve both offensively and defensively and win our region. That’s essential to getting to the playoffs, which we will hopefully win!”

Sports are an important part of life here at ACP because they serve as a bridge that unites people with different social perspectives. Whatever each player does during the game, their roles are crucial to succeeding. The growth of mental faculties, self-control, general life skills, physical prowess, and strength is promoted by sports. The ACP family is rooting for the Girls Flag Football team and wishes them luck in their upcoming games. Go Knights!