University Academy is stepping its game up at the end of the school year by opening up a new sport, girls’ flag football, for both Upper and Middle School. The UA Lady Gryphons had their very first game on April 27, winning 48-8, and have had a couple more games since.
Coach Lauren Jones, UA’s head flag football coach, said, “The girls have showed out so far. We only had one practice before our first game, and the girls went out there and clocked that tea on the field! Okay! Very demure, very on point, very classy, very UA.”
With this being UA’s first year having a flag football team, making mistakes is understandable, especially if new to the sport, but there is plenty of room for growth. That goes for coaching, too.
Coach Jones, a fourth grade teacher at UA, said, “Honestly, I haven’t coached them long enough to know what I could do better. So, if my beautiful ladies are reading this, what do you need from me? And how can I better serve you?”
The sport flag football originated in the U.S. military during World War II in Fort Meade, Maryland. It was initially a recreational game for soldiers, designed to help them stay fit and active without causing any injuries, according to olympics.com.
Early versions of the game were called “touch or tail” or “touch football” before it was standardized as “flag football.” After the war, returning veterans brought the game back to the United States, where it gained popularity and evolved into its current version.
Flag football is a safer version of tackle football, with no tackling, diving, blocking or screening. Instead, players wear belts with flags attached around their waists that must be pulled to end a play.
With this being UA’s first ever flag football team, challenges are to come.
UA junior Chloe’ Ford said, “The most challenging thing for me and my team is us being new to the sport. Since we are new, we are going against people who have already played before, but it’s not doing anything but making us better players and preparing ourselves for other teams.”
UA sophomore Anahla Nugent said she plays wide receiver and quarterback on offense and cornerback on defense for the team. She also said that for their first game, she thought she played great on both the offensive and defensive sides.
Nugent said, “I felt like I helped the team a lot in certain situations, but as a team I think we played great together for it being our first time playing. We played as a team, and we had fun for the most part.”
This year’s flag football team consists of four seniors, Anonda Ford, Tiana Leverette, Ashlee Ford and Ja’Lynne Johnson; one junior, Chloe’ Ford; two sophomores, Nugent and Dayonna Loyd; one freshman, Amiree Pruitt; and two middle schoolers, Aubrey Francis and Alissa Byers.
Coach Jones said most of her girls are athletic and are determined to make the best of what they have.
As for the middle schoolers, they’re facing additional challenges, especially on a team full of high schoolers who are bigger and more advanced.
UA eighth grader Aubrey Francis said, “When playing with high schoolers, I’m always sorta nervous because they’re older than me, and if I make a bad impression on them they all may agree to not liking me. So far, though, I feel like I fit in slightly because when playing flag football or any sport, you’re a team no matter who is on the team itself.”
The Lady Gryphons’ last game is Sunday May 18 at Johnson County Community College at 5 p.m. on Field 6. Come out and support the Lady Gryphons!
