The most outrageous misconception about girls flag football is that removing pads and tackling makes the game soft. But step onto the turf during a Saint Francis varsity game, and reality hits immediately: concussions, knee injuries, and broken fingers are all undeniable in this demanding, high-intensity sport. “A lot of people look at girls flag football and don’t see it for what it really is,” Zoe Tripp (’28), the team’s co-captain and starting quarterback, said. “There have definitely been times where people have gotten hurt or taken big hits because of the contact of the sport.”
Rather than shying away from the natural physicality, the Lancers have built a consistent team culture that leans into it—driven by athletes who spend the off-season with basketball hoops, volleyball nets, and track spikes.
What makes this year’s varsity roster unique isn’t just the players’ pure athleticism, but how it translates to the football field. For junior running back Natalia Garcia, who also runs track, adjusting to the turf was a matter of tuning her sprint speed when rushing the pocket. “Breaking down when rushing is the hardest,” Natalia Garcia said. “In track, you just run as fast as you can; when you’re rushing, the quarterback is moving at the same time—so you can’t just run through them.”
Meanwhile, junior Naomi Garcia credited her volleyball background to her dominance on the field. “One thing that was beneficial from volleyball is being comfortable in the air; going up for jump balls or high pointing balls is something I already know how to do,” Naomi Garcia said.
For Tripp, adapting her basketball footwork to play quarterback went smoothly, but mastering the release was a fresh challenge. “The speed and endurance came pretty naturally coming from basketball, and learning the game was easy for me from watching my brother play [football],” Tripp said, “but throwing is a whole new motion.”
Chemistry doesn’t magically develop within a flag football team—with rules evolving each year, the bench’s energy and collective support are fueling an explosive season thus far. “Since flag is still a really new sport, the fact that everybody’s still learning and adapting to the changing rules is what causes us to bond,” Ailey Nogra (’28) said.
The team built camaraderie during the high-stakes matchup against Sacred Heart Preparatory in September. Trailing 0-14 at the half, the sideline helped reset the team’s focus and drove a second-half shutdown, with teammates “excited, cheering, and jumping up and down,” Natalia Garcia said.
After last year’s historic Central Coast Section Division 1 Championship, the team is not only aiming to maintain the standard of excellence but exceed it for Lancers following their footsteps. “Winning the championship is something to improve on coming off of last season,” Tripp said, “we want to leave a good legacy for this program and build our identity as a school and team.”
