Girls’ sports have come a long way, from wrestling to hockey, girls have been able to play sports once reserved for boys. While girls have been able to participate in football, they haven’t had their own team. Until next year that is.
The PCAL will have a 7 on 7 flag football league in the fall of 2024.There will be two divisions , with Alisal being in the Gabilan. There will be both a JV and a varsity team, each consisting of at least 20 players per team, according to Athletic Director Jose Gil.
In an informal survey of 124 girls, 84 said they would be interested in being a part of the girls’ flag football team. “I want to join a sport that requires control and patience. I also want to be a part of a team of fierce and strong players who will be able to compete passionately and confidently,” junior Emily Duenas said. “I think it would be a fun opportunity to make new friends,” sophomore Yumalay Ramirez said.
Sports Med instructor Marisol Rasul is set to be the head coach for Girl’s Flag football. Rasul is also the athletic trainer and club advisor for Fellow Christian Athletes of Alisal. She has had coaching experiences such as at universities, clubs, and High school levels. She faced many challenges while coaching such as managing high expectations, handling player commitment issues, and balancing the development of individual players with team success. “I’ve played sports my entire life and I believe that a sport can bring so many traits such as character building, discipline, and team building,” Rasul said.
The process of finding the right coach was easy with Rasul as a candidate. ¨I feel great, she’s a good leader, a positive role- model for our young ladies, with her knowledge and expertise in the performance-based portion is really good going to enhance the girls,” Gil said.
The plan for this upcoming season is hopefully to build the program, build a team, and to get them comfortable with a sport.
According to Gil, the Gabilian division will consist of 7 teams who are yet to be determined. The football field will be condensed compared to the average football field and it will be approximately 60-40 yards.
Tryouts will be hosted on August 9th, which is the first day that all fall sports officially start. Location and time is to be determined. ¨Tryouts will consist of an evaluation criteria (e.g., skills assessment, fitness tests, attitude), agility, running, and sport-specific drills, and conditioning will take place in the strength training room in the MPR. Athletes must have their physical turned into the AD before starting conditioning. Conditioning is optional for those interested in trying out,” Rasul said.
