Funding a new sport can be difficult for a high school athletic department, but flag football is quite the opposite. With little equipment needed, a smaller field and no goalposts, flag football is taking the state by storm.
Schools in the CIF Los Angeles City Section and the CIF Southern Section are quickly adding flag football programs. With all the hype and excitement surrounding the sport, the Santa Clarita Valley is continuing its football fandom with the addition of flag football.
This adds more competition – in addition to the newly added CIF-SS championship. The City Section is now in its second season of competing for a championship, but now El Camino Real and Chatsworth have their programs preparing for the new season.
Santa Clarita schools welcome flag football
Valencia, Hart and West Ranch have each joined the party and added a girls flag football team.
Although girls flag football is a new endeavor for Valencia, head coach Jeff Albert has experience and has seen the tackle football team win Foothill League titles and won a CIF-SS title in 2021.
“It’s all very exciting,” Albert said. “After all this time, to be the first-year inaugural coach for Valencia and to be able to play at the championship level already is beyond my wildest dreams. The teams that are already there are spectacular, but I like our chances. Valencia is stacked with great athletes and I don’t want to get in their way.”
Valencia High School will be competing in girls flag football for the first time this season. (Photo by Ryan Menzie)
Of the new roster, two notable players to keep an eye on are quarterback Tiana Louie and wide receiver Leya Adams. Both Louie and Adams are entering their senior year and have not played any sports their entire school career but now can do so with flag football.
“I’m incredibly honored to be a part of Valencia’s first flag football team,” said Louie. “It can be a little stressful knowing this first year and the team is going to have to create a lasting legacy. We’re really happy to be able to play and have the opportunity to represent Valencia.”
Adams helped pitch the idea to have flag football come to Valencia. Word traveled fast and Adam’s hope for a new team finally came true.
“It’s a great opportunity for everyone involved,” said Adams. “Everyone has been working hard so I have high hopes. I’m grateful for the opportunity to compete for a championship. I think we can at least get to the championship if not win it.”
City Section’s newest teams
Chatsworth and El Camino Real could possibly hand Birmingham its first loss in program history – a tall order to fill.
Both schools should have their hands full in their inaugural seasons. Despite the mountain to climb, both Chatsworth and El Camino Real start on the same foot and Chatsworth welcomes the challenge.
“It’s crazy how quickly the sport has taken off and to be given another opportunity to play in a playoff setting,” said Chatsworth head coach Niccole Ryan. “The goal is to be competitive against other teams who are just a year ahead of us. Starting and developing a whole program along with its traditions and knowledge of the sport is going to be the biggest challenge for us. We’re really looking to increase our football IQ and be competitive with other teams in the league.”
Of the players to watch is junior pass rusher and safety Hayle Schiff, who leads the way for Chatsworth. While not having played football, Schiff’s athletic career includes shot put during track and field season and cross country.
“Being on an all-girls team and seeing how big the sport has gotten on social media is awesome,” said Schiff. “Especially considering there’s no girls on the boys tackle football team makes it that much more special that we have something that’s all girls. To be able to compete at such a high level so quickly and possibly win the championship is an awesome feeling.”
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