Gustine High School has introduced its first-ever girls flag football team, marking a historic moment for the school and the community. The sport was first approved by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) in February 2023 allowing girls flag football to be an official statewide sanctioned sport. This represents a significant step forward in sports and provides new opportunities for young female athletes. These athletes have been training hard while learning a whole new sport that they are excited to be able to compete in this season.
Flag football, known for its emphasis on skill and strategy rather than physical contact, is gaining popularity nationwide as an alternative to traditional tackle football. The sport provides an avenue for teamwork, agility, and sportsmanship while ensuring player safety. The players have been put through a series of drills designed to introduce them to the fundamentals of flag football.
The team coaching staff is led by head coach Megan Azevedo, assistant coach Ashley Ramirez, and volunteer coaches Andrea Verdin and Daisy Zagazeta. We are dedicated to building a strong foundation and fostering a positive and competitive environment. As head coach, I am looking forward to being able to lead the first team of girls flag football and building a supportive and challenging atmosphere where every player can develop her skills and grow as an athlete. During the first practice, we had 14 girls attend and those 14 have continued to show up and can advance their skills every day during practice.
As the coach, I love seeing how invested the girls are in learning a whole new sport, and also how fast they are able to pick up on different strategies and plays. We are all learning a new sport along with the new rules so being able to learn them together and seeing everything we work hard on at practice actually come to life is always an advantage with a new team.
The Reds will compete in their first-ever scrimmage at the Orestimba tournament on Saturday. They will play Pacheco at 10:20 a.m., Buhach Colony at 11:30 a.m., and Pitman at 12:40 p.m. Their home opener game will be on Sept. 5 against East Union at 6 p.m. For now, the girls are gearing up for what promises to be an exciting and memorable season, ready to make their mark on the field and for all of their supporters.
