Girls flag football games will commence this Friday at high schools throughout Orange County as part of the sport’s first official season in the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section.
The Orange County Register reported 114 OC campuses have signed on to form their own girls flag football teams this school year since its designation as a CIF-sanctioned sport in February. Interest in the sport is expanding with athletes from other sports eager to join the new teams.
Marina High School’s standout softball pitcher Mia Valbuena was quick to trade in her glove for football cleats once the sport was announced, according to the Register.
“Most of the girls wanted to join the team because their friends are on it,” Valbuena told the Register. “It was ‘If you’re going to do it, then I will do it, too.'”
Of any new sport introduced in recent years, the CIF-SS Flag Football Sports Advisory Committee found that girls flag football has the highest number of participating teams.
“When it was confirmed that it was going to happen, then I went ahead and volunteered to do it,” said Michael Schneider, Marina High flag football coach. “There’s a lot of excitement around the school about it.”
While there won’t be playoffs for the sport this year, the CIF-SS expects to hold them in 2024 as the number of teams is predicted to grow. The flag football season — which coincides with boys football — will continue through the end of October.
Here are the other stories we’re following this week:
- With nearly half a century of providing environmental education opportunities to students, the Inside the Outdoors team at OCDE recently reflected on reaching its 49th year of service and plans for expanding access to nature for young learners.
- To support educators interested in developing student voice and agency, OCDE is hosting its two-day Civic Learning Institute in September to collaborate with teachers and administrators from local public, charter and private schools.
- In honor of the back-to-school season in Orange County and beyond, the OCDE Newsroom has compiled a roundup of social media posts from local school districts and charter schools as they celebrated students’ first day back on campus.
- As classes begin at multiple Orange County schools this week, Palisades Elementary School in Dana Point prepared for the first day back with its annual welcome back barbecue to connect with families while sharing the staff’s goals for their students.
- OCDE Deputy Superintendent Dr. Ramon Miramontes recently shared his thoughts with Spotlight Schools on the programs and learning goals students, parents and teachers can expect in the 2023-24 academic year.
- On August 13, the Junior Art Exhibit at the annual Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach honored local student artists, awarding first place to Fountain Valley High School senior Madeline Prado for her watercolor portrait titled “Disposition.”
- While parents help their children prepare for the new school year, Southern California pediatricians are offering their tips to ensure a successful day of learning, including adjusting bedtimes and eating a protein-rich breakfast.
- The Ocean View School District broke ground Monday on its $27 million renovation of Mesa View Middle School. The project will include a single point of entry onto campus and a newly designed multipurpose facility for students.
- State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond held a statewide summit Monday to strategize teacher recruitment and training strategies as students head back into classrooms this back-to-school season.
- During its Thursday meeting, the Orange Unified School District board discussed a policy that would require parental notification if their child requests to be identified as a different gender, as reported by the Orange County Register.
This is the part where we encourage you to keep up with local education news stories by bookmarking the OCDE Newsroom, subscribing for emailed updates and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.