Flag Football has arrived at Loretto Academy and the girls are ready to shine on the field.
The team is currently made up of 12 girls and they are hoping to recruit even more.
Mr. Nieto, Athletics Director, decided to start a flag football team because the sport is growing at a university level, which means more scholarship opportunities.
He introduced Loretto Academy to NFL Flag Football and the team sponsoring the school is the Dallas Cowboys.
With support from the Dallas Cowboys and a growing number of passionate players, Loretto Academy’s new girls’ flag football team represents a powerful step forward for the broader movement of girls breaking into traditionally male-dominated sports.
The Dallas Cowboys team provides funding for Loretto Academy’s flag football coaches, equipment, and uniforms.
They also make guest appearances and involve the school in other events the NFL puts on.
The flag football team has been practicing for around two months and they have had one scrimmage.
The girls participating in the scrimmage were from city teams including women aged 16 to 30.
This allowed Loretto Academy girls to experience that game feel.
They also had a uniform review, which is when all the teams in El Paso come together and show their uniforms for the upcoming season.
Brianna Farish, flag football team member, began her path to this sport back in middle school.
It was just her and another friend on the St. Joseph’s team and that experience immediately sparked her interest in flag football.
When Mr. Nieto put out the announcement that the school was having a football team, Brianna decided she was going to join right away.
She said, “I am really happy that I get to be part of the first Loretto and El Paso girl’s flag football team because it’s important that girls join even if they don’t think they can do it.”
The Loretto Academy flag football team marked a milestone in women’s sports and inclusivity.
Brianna said, “Before it was kind of shunned upon to do flag football as a girl because it was considered more of a guy sport, but I think it is so cool that El Paso and Loretto is getting this opportunity.”
As Loretto Academy starts off in flag football, the team is doing more than learning the game, they’re proving that girls belong on the field, and they’re here to compete.
