Flag football is sweeping the nation and growing in popularity; West Orange High School joined the movement when the school announced its flag football team would have its inaugural season this year. 

While the new team has put up an impressive record and stats it has also had an impact on the community as a whole. “It gives a lot of girls that play sports a chance to play football,” said Paige Ashley one of the team’s captains, “it’s all about having fun and it’s good for the school and good for the girls.”

Ashley has also felt a personal impact from the teams saying, “With football, I’ve been more confident,” and “I was throwing a football since I was little asking my mom every day if I could play football and it was the same answer but now I have flag football … I think it was really fun and a great opportunity.”

Ashley hopes that others can feel the same happiness she has from flag football saying to the people interested in playing, “Don’t stress about nothin’ it’s not a judgy zone,” and “I feel like I’ve had a few people come up to me and asking about football … I’m glad a lot of people look up to us, watching us play inspires a lot of people to join the team and play and it doesn’t matter what skills you have … you’re always helping the team.”

The team is doing well and Ashley acknowledged this saying, “It’s an opportunity to show everyone everywhere that just because we got something new we aren’t bad.” Currently, the new team has accomplished the impressive feat of clinching a playoff spot in their first season with their 19-6 win over Montclair on May 19th. Ashley and the rest of the team hope that they can make a run to the championship saying with a smile on her face, “If we do win a championship we get a ring and it gives us bragging rights like the football team.”

Ashley hopes that the Mountaineers can not only bring home a ring this year but also in the coming years as more and more people join the brand-new flag football team. However, until next year all WOHS can do is go out and cheer for a championship and hope that the future will be as bright as it is right now for West Orange High School’s flag football team.