Flag football, have you heard of it? This year, Helix has acquired a new sport strictly for the girls!
Flag Football is almost the exact same as regular football, with the exception of a few new rules. Our very own team has a record of six and two, and are quickly developing a positive reputation within the flag football world.
In the first home game against Patrick Henry, our Scotties won with 20 seconds to go! I interviewed Devin Gideon, a Junior running back/wide receiver, who caught the game winning pass. She caught the ball a total of 35 yards to beat the Patriots. I also interviewed Kaiya Merlo, a Junior, wide receiver/free safety/second string quarterback. Kaiya is a huge piece of the team offensively and defensively.
I began by asking Devin what originally sparked her interest in flag football.
She responded, “I’ve always been very competitive and would play catch with my dad in the front yard, which grew my love for the game. Honestly, if flag wasn’t a sport at school I’d probably play actual football and be a kicker.”
Devin followed up with her sports background which consists of 8 years of club soccer.
Next I asked Devin about picking a position, and how she came to be a running back and wide receiver.
She responded by saying, “During spring training I started out at quarterback because I knew I wanted to throw. But I also knew I wanted to catch and run the ball down the field. Then over the summer our coaches had us play both offense and defense and as they got to know us they placed us where they thought we would do the best.”
I then questioned her astonishing game winning touchdown and what that game meant to her.
“It felt good to score against them first, however as the game ticked on and we ended up being down 18 to 6 it was nerve racking. I don’t think it was that I doubted us because I knew we could do it, it was the overall execution that scared me a little. At one point I was on the sideline and my coach asked me if I was angry or not, I said yes, and he told me to use that towards blocking and catching. After that, something switched in my head. The adrenaline I guess, and in the last 14 seconds I caught the 35 yard touchdown” Devin shared.
I personally witnessed the touchdown live, and it was in fact amazing. The entire stadium roared with the team and the energy was spectacular.
Photo- Devin Gideon
Moving to Kaiya Merlo, her inspiration behind flag football is a little different.
She stated, “I’ve been playing flag football since I was 7 years old. I grew up playing with boys in rec leagues, NFL flag, and I-9.”
“I hadn’t really realized there was a future for the sport, I thought as a girl that football wasn’t for us. About 2 years ago, I started getting back into it and I was super excited to see we had our own team, so of course, I was gonna try out” she added.
Kaiya went on to talk about her club flag football journey as well as her years playing club soccer, both of which give her noticeable advantages on the field. Kaiya has recently quit soccer to go for an Olympic spot on the U.S. national flag team and is highly respected in the flag football world.
Interested in how the season has gone and will go, I asked her about the next few months of football.
“The very first game against Sage Creek was a pretty good confidence boost, just because they weren’t as talented as other teams we will face. Against Henry, we definitely had to play catch up for a second there, but our team showed great determination and I think that shows how it will be for the rest of the season” Kaiya explained.
She continued; “In terms of looking forward to playing against specific schools, one of our offensive players had mentioned Classical Academy who won division 1 last year and the year before. Those players have been talking their stuff, as one would say, they’re very egotistical. So I’m excited to go against them and hopefully put them in the ground. And obviously Grossmont, rival game stuff, you know.”
Finally, I asked the girls where they saw the program heading in future years. Both agreed that being a football oriented school on the boys side gives the girls program a leg up, as Helix is now a double threat for flag and standard football. They also added that the amazing coaching staff has curated a great team dynamic, which is essential for gameday success.
After speaking with these amazing athletes who have carved their names in Helix history, I strongly encourage everyone to come check out one of their next home games (link below). I would also like to encourage any person interested in trying out for girls flag football to pursue their dreams and attend tryouts next year.
Please wish Devin, Kaiya and the rest of our Scotties luck with the rest of their season, you got it girls!
Photo- Kaiya Merlo
Helix Charter High School Flag Football | Girls