Enloe’s flag football team is only two years old, beginning last year after the Carolina Panthers partnered with local organizations to start high school flag football teams across the country. Flag football is played the same as traditional football, just without contact. Countless North Carolina high schools aside from Enloe, including Broughton, Leesville, and Athens Drive, just wrapped up their second season.
Being such a new sport at Enloe, the players have had the unique experience of being able to build and shape the team. Emily Peters, quarterback and captain, says, “I think everyone has had to take [on a] leadership [role]. Even the players who didn’t even know the sport before the season, they’re leading others.” Peters concludes, “Everyone has just taken on a big role of responsibility, and that’s helped everyone understand the game.”
Through this leadership, the flag football team has developed into a supportive, passionate group of players, despite the fact that they don’t have as much history together as other sports teams. Peters describes how the team is always there for each other, saying, “Anytime we’re doing something, everyone is very supportive and encouraging if you mess up, or do well.” Noe Roark, another captain, says this kind of community makes the sport as enjoyable as it is, saying, “We have a lot of fun at practice together.”
With a strong bond comes a communal passion for the sport, all the players are competitive, and allow each other to go all in. Roark mentions how this is especially important, considering they’re a girls sport, which can be seen as “less serious.” She says, “I feel like it’s an extremely competitive sport, where people get mad and competitive on the field. But in a girl’s designated sport, I think that’s really fun [and special].” Peters echoes this sentiment, saying that a common misconception about flag football is that it is “soft, or an easy sport.” Peters says this is definitely false, saying, “We’re on the ground rolling around, diving for flags.”
Aside from the physical and athletic skills needed to play flag football, the game requires on-your-feet thinking and quick strategy. Each game, different teams will try different plays in unique ways, whether it’s changing the number of rushers or how many receivers are pulled to block. Because of the countless ways any opposing team can play, the team has to make quick judgments and communicate efficiently. Additionally, at games, the flag football team will play at least two teams in one day, sometimes without more than a five minute break in between. Peters says, although it’s tiring, she thinks keeping the momentum is fun, saying, “If you’re in the right headspace…just keep going.”
Flag football is an intense, exciting, and complicated sport, and Enloe’s players have taken the challenge head on. As the team grows, this iteration of the team will be the reason for any and all success we have down the line. Their contributions to the culture of the team will be sure to last, keeping players passionate about flag football. If you’re interested in joining, keep an eye out for tryouts and follow their Instagram at @enloeflagfootball.
