There are over 50 club teams in the state, including one at Spring Lake Park. The young Panthers are trailblazers paving the way for future flag football players.
“I feel like it’s more opportunities for different girls that want to play a different sport,” said Spring Lake Park player A’asia Wright. “It’s pretty new. I feel like flag football is a brand new sport for other girls and I feel like everyone would enjoy it.”
“When I first heard about the sport I was curious to learn how to play it,” said Panthers player Paulina Hernandez. “I joined it and I really enjoy it at this moment.”
Spring Lake Park and other prep programs in the US have received a boost from the NFL and Nike – which chipped in $5 million to fund flag teams across the nation.
“The Minnesota Vikings, along with the school helped provide flag football kits for teams, footballs, flags, cones, that type of stuff,” said Spring Lake Park coach Tucker Olinger. “I believe uniforms as well was part of that.”
These young Panthers are going through a learning curve as they figure out how to play a sport that is new to most of them.
“I wasn’t the best at throwing footballs or catching them,” Hernandez said. “But as I’m participating, practicing, I’m getting a lot better and I really enjoy getting better at something that I didn’t know I could get good at.”
“I love it,” said Spring Lake Park player Jenna Dawoud. “I think it’s a very good opportunity for us to have a sport like this especially because football is known for men. When we were first signing up I saw a bunch of girls and I’m like I’m not the only one who wants to play something new. It’s hard trying something new.”
“A lot of girls this is their first and only sport that they have participated in,” Olinger said. “Bringing that cohesive team together, they’re meeting new people, they’re learning how to work as a team on a team.”
Future varsity sport?
Olinger is trying to mold Spring Lake Park into a solid team. His job is to teach these athletes about a game that requires athletic ability and quick thinking on the field.
“Playing flag football, whether it’s male or female, I think that it has a lot of benefits,” Olinger said.
“It’s so easy to learn,” Wright said. “A lot of the girls that play on our team now it’s their first year playing. A lot of us have grown together. It’s very fun, very fast-paced. I think it’s a very fun sport to play.”
Flag football is clearly trending up. It will be played in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and could soon be a varsity sport in Minnesota.
Said Olinger: “I believe that it will.”
“I feel like it would be a good varsity sport,” Wright said.
“As it continues to evolve and grow as a sport, many people are going to join it and they’re going to like it,” Hernandez said.
The Panthers struggled in the regular season but are hoping to turn things around in the playoffs. Whatever happens, the players are having a blast.
“It brings a lot of kids together in the community,” Wright said. “I think it’s pretty fun for a first-time sport.”
Some of the Spring Lake Park players are also on the track team, but flag games and practices are timed so they don’t conflict with other sports these girls play.
