This year, girl’s flag football has been brought to Carlsbad High for the first time. The new team aims to get girls more involved in a sport that has a history of being male-dominated.

After a form was sent out last school year to test interest in a flag football team, the high volume of positive responses led to its creation. Head coach Lance Thomas noticed a high participation rate at tryouts when over 75 girls showed up.

“I think that speaks volumes to the fact that there was much more interest than initially thought,” Thomas said.

Although this is the team’s first season, it gives new players a chance to collaborate with those who are experienced and improve their skills. Sophomore Carly Colby explains that having one of her favorite sports recognized as a school team is fulfilling, both for Colby and the new players that come along the way. 

“I’ve been playing since a few years prior, and there are a couple of people that haven’t played before,” Colby said. “They’re doing really good so far, it’s cool to see more girls get interested.”

While not all players at CHS are new to flag football, all of the girls are new to working with each other. Junior Grace Lehman describes how the team’s shared excitement for the sport has already motivated them to help one another succeed. 

“A majority of the [players] already come from competitive teams so we all know the drive and how hard you have to work,” Lehman said. “We all have a lot of fun and match each other’s energy.”

The passion the girls bring to the field has pleasantly surprised Thomas, whose previous coaching experience was mostly with boy’s teams. His prior teams were focused, but had less playful energy. Now, the girls focus not only on the games, but also on working together for a positive environment.

“They’re always united [and] seem to be clicking super well together,” Thomas said. 

Football has generally always been intended for men, but with the addition of a girl’s flag team, younger girls experience the positives of this team sport. Colby appreciates the role she gets to play in inspiring young athletes. 

“I think being here is a really cool opportunity to help the sport grow and to influence other girls to play,” Colby said. “Before recently, it was definitely a male-dominated sport, but seeing more girls become interested is a change for the better.” 

The growing support of the flag football team is showing an optimistic change in girls’ sports at Carlsbad. By showing the possibilities of girls’ achievements in high school sports, flag football can motivate those on the fence about joining a team to take the risk. Thomas believes the team has already greatly encouraged numerous girls to get more involved.

“There were definitely girls that made the team that don’t play any other sports,” Thomas said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for people to get involved in a sport they may not have been interested in or even heard of before.”

As the sport continues to inspire girls at CHS, the team has brought a more inclusive environment to the athletic department and helps current players connect with upcoming athletes to learn new skills. The team continues to work hard to both mentor and inspire potential players.

“We’re already off to a great start,” Colby said. “We all want to show that Carlsbad has a great flag football team and we’re here to win and here to stay.”