Archer Sherry, a sophomore flag football player on Palo Alto High School’s team, runs through a field of girls, cones and flags, jerking away so that her flag is just out of reach from her opponent. With a football in hand, she sprints her way out of the drill, into the cheers of her teammates rooting her on.
She is one of few girls that are given the opportunity to play a similar game to the fan favorite sport, football, that mainly involves boys.
Traditional American football is offered at almost every high school in the Bay Area, attracting huge crowds of students who cheer on players at every touchdown. This year, Paly, along with many other local schools like Los Gatos High School, Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, Menlo School and Castilleja School, have decided to add girls flag football to its roster of fall sports.
Not only is flag football becoming popular throughout many schools in California, according to the Olympics website, the sport will be making its first appearance at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
As the sport gains popularity, the differences in the rules compared to traditional football foster inclusivity for many girls seeking to play football, without the dangerous risks tackle football can bring.
Similar to traditional football, flag football has the same positions like quarterback and wide receiver. The goal is to carry the ball to the opposing end zone to score a touchdown. The main difference between tackle and flag football is that flag is a no-contatct sport — defenders pull opposing players’ flags located on a belted strap around their waist. This allows for safer gameplay, but makes it just as exciting.
Only one girl at Paly is currently on the tackle football team. The uneven gender distribution may discourage many other girls from joining. However, there was interest in creating a girls flag football team, with many girls excited to get involved.
“I think it’s very significant that this sport has been introduced to Paly because now a sport predominantly played by boys is available for us and creates a better environment to try new things,” Sherry said.
Lolleini Vehikte, a senior flag football player at Sacred Heart Prep, said she believes adding flag football promotes equality, and inspires girls to participate.
“Considering that football is a popular sport played by boys amongst most high schools, it’s important to recognize the potential that girls have in playing this sport as well,” Vehikte said.
Vehikte says she believes that flag football also promotes women’s involvement in sports.
“The goal would be to spark more acknowledgement within the womens’ sports department, encouraging students to come watch us play and cheer us on,” Vehikte said.
Similarly, Emmanuella Arbitaylo, a senior flag football player at Los Gatos High School, said she feels that the sport can be an outlet for girls to display their skills that they wouldn’t have been able to without it.
At Paly, the varsity flag football team is coached by track and field coach Bradford Exantus.
Even though the girls have a wide variety of abilities, there will not be a junior varsity team this year due to the low amount of players.
Although they reached a sufficient number of players for a team, it is unpredictable who will continue to play, so the team is preparing to face some difficulties.
“Everyone can be out, we could lose players, but we do have 20 plus people on the roster, so we’re gonna have to mix around,” Exantus said.
As the season progresses, Paly players have a lot to look forward to and accomplish.
“I think the goal for this season is to play our best so we gain popularity by either social media or Paly magazines, and start having more and more girls interested in it and hopefully by next year have two teams,” Sherry said.
Regardless, the players are excited for the debut season of the sport and they plan to make it a memorable one.
Throughout the season, they’ve already played three games, with their next game being away against Los Altos High School on Oct. 14.
“Honestly, I’m glad it’s a sport, it’s very fun and I like the girls,” Paly sophomore Hakiti Pongi said. “We’re not just a team, it’s my family.”
