LATHAM, N.Y. — As the running-clock of Monday night’s final preseason scrimmage ran out, Shaker High School girls varsity flag football coach Leigh Stevens still pleaded with an official for one last play versus visiting Colonie. The referee at first appeared to take the question as a joke, dismissing it with a laugh, but Stevens was serious, for the most part.
Normally, scrimmages can act as chances to knock the rust off from time spent away from the sport or as final tune-ups before the real thing. This preseason action for 12, Section 2 girls flag football teams looked a little bit different, as for many players, coaches and managers involved, they’re still learning the sport for the first time.
“It takes a lot of communication and hard work. It’s not something you can just come out on the field and put out. Like, it obviously takes the time and effort; no one’s just gonna be a superstar coming in,” said Shaker senior running-back/linebacker Hannah Bouchard.
“We do constant drills and if we mess up, we’ll break it down. Each drill, we’ll break it down, we do a little bit of running routes and stuff like that, but honestly, we do learn from each other.”
“We’re a month in and the experience has been absolutely fantastic. These girls have bought in, they’re sponges, they’re soaking up everything that we’re trying to give them,” said Stevens. “It’s kind of- we’re all learning together. But yeah, it’s been an absolutely fantastic experience so far, and they’ve play hard, they play together and I’m really I’m really proud, so far, where we’re at.”
There would be no final, untimed down for Stevens and the Bison, as her team still went on to take the scrimmage, 25-6, over the Raiders. However, there are still plenty of downs left to play, as the inaugural Section 2 girls flag football season kicks-off on Wednesday, April 10.
Shaker will take on Saratoga Springs as a part of the six-game slate on opening-night.
“I just want to see the girls compete and to be competitive in the game. It is going to be a learning curve, especially in game one,” Blue Streaks’ head coach Jon Coons said. “We just want the girls to be able to execute the plays. Flag-grabbing is a challenge in this game, so getting a little bit better at that, trying to do the little things correctly and just see where the chips fall. But, just having them compete and be competitive in the game is really what my goal is.”
“I believe that the girls are looking forward to it and excited about the season to really start.”
“That’s what we’ve been working towards and we’re excited and ready for the league play to begin. Saratoga is going to offer a really good first game and it’s a challenge for us, so, I think the girls are ready, pumped and amped to get out on the field and show everybody what we can do,” added Stevens.
“We’re all trying to learn together. But, the officials have really been great to try to stop things, teach the girls, explain to us situations and we’re working together as a whole to make the game better. So, that’s all we can ask for right now.”
Coons and Stevens certainly are bringing some knowledge and experience on the gridiron into year one at the helm of the budding programs, as Coons has spent the last seven seasons as defensive coordinator for the Blue Streaks’ varsity football team (near 20 years as a whole on staff with the program) while Stevens had previously played for her college’s intramural squad and had also coached her son’s, youth flag team.
When it was announced that the sport would be making its debut with a full, league schedule including postseason, this past winter, neither wanted to miss on the opportunity to teach, or grow, the game the right way.
“Well, at first I didn’t really think about taking it and then I was hearing who was gonna play and then my daughter (Lucy) actually said that she was interested in possibly playing and then once I like heard that I’m like, ‘you know, I’m going to put my name in the hat and go after this because if all these girls are gonna play, I want to go after it and have it be a legit sport, right away.'” said Coons. “Not just be like, ‘oh, girls football is here.’ I wanted it to be like, ‘let’s go and let’s do this for real.'”
“I couldn’t wait to coach football. Like, just to have the kids have this ability and this experience, to be able to go out there and show that they can play football too, it’s so rewarding to be able to coach them and to see them do what they can do out there,” added Stevens.
“When this job came open, me being able to have that opportunity, I couldn’t pass it up. So, I’m so excited about it and where our program is going.”
The numbers for both teams have grown beyond initial expectations, as over 50 prospective student-athletes took part in each, respective tryout.
“I heard about it from my wrestling coach. He said the coach – Coach Stevens – here, wanted to have me because I am a multi-sport athlete and knowing some of the girls from the soccer team, I told them to come over, told girls from wrestling teams, and it just kind of branched out from people that already did sports,” Bouchard said.
“It was a little nerve wracking, but truly, I feel like it’s a blast for the team. We’ve grown a lot. Even from day one, there was connections and everybody’s been working to put it all out on the field.”
Like many tryouts, there were some cuts that had to be made, with no junior-varsity squads to relegate such players. A silver lining? Those numbers, from tryouts alone, only amplifies the eagerness amongst Section 2 school’s to take part in the groundbreaking sport.
“I think it’s a sport that’s up-and-coming and I think it’s here to stay and I think that we have, just basically by the 12 teams that we have in the section that are playing, goes to show the amount of girls that want to be out in the field, showing what they can do. So, I think it’s awesome,” said Stevens.
“I think it’s great. It’s a great opportunity for the girls. What I love about it is, it’s bringing field hockey players, soccer players, volleyball players, gymnasts, basketball players…they’re all coming together when they wouldn’t normally be on a team together and now they get to be on a team together. So, it’s pretty cool for our athletic department and for the girls that are participating,” Coons said.
For Bouchard, this season isn’t just about making the history but being apart of helping set it up for a potential long and prosperous future for the Section, in what is the first, but also her last, season.
“I want to leave good leadership and have other people being able to step up and be a leader as well,” she said.
The legacy starts on Wednesday night under the lights at 7:30 p.m. at Saratoga Springs High School. Instead of one, last play, it’s the start of one, first journey.
“Everybody’s supporting each other. We’re all in this together. Let’s kick this off and have a great season,” said Coons. “You can tell everybody’s pulling in the same direction from all the schools.”
