Running at full speed, stride by stride, senior Audrey Campbell pushes at max effort to reach the end zone and score another touchdown for the Bowie High School girls’ flag football team.
Beginning their second season as a team, the Bowie girls flag football team is still getting used to playing with one another and learning the game, with many new players joining this season. Campbell explained why she decided to join the team in her final year at Bowie.
“I joined flag football because a lot of my basketball teammates are on it and my coach recommended it to me,” Campbell said. “I really wanted to do it as my last sport before leaving Bowie because I thought it would be really fun and not as much pressure as a normal sport.”
Even though there are many new players this season, there are multiple girls returning for their second season on the team who bring extra experience. One of these athletes is senior Cameron Tishgart. Tishgart describes the new flag football season as a good opportunity for the team to build new relationships.
“So far it has been super cool meeting these new people over the past two seasons,” Tishgart said. “I have learned how to have fun while playing a sport and not take things too seriously since it is meant to be fun.”
Not only are some of the players new, but so are some of the coaches. Offensive coach Xerien Santikham has experience in the sport of football and hopes to use that to impact the girls on the field.
“I thought it would be a good challenge coaching wise to join the team and provided an opportunity to grow the game of football with our girls,” Santikham said. “This is my fourth season coaching high school football, but only my first year at Bowie. I believe being a quarterback and wide receivers coach along with the time I have spent around football has prepared me for this role to teach the girls something new.”
The flag football team have been practicing together for a few weeks and according to Campbell, the team has already tremendously improved.
“The coaches have fully brought us into the Bowie football community and it has really improved how each individual on the team plays,” Campbell said. “I expected the coaches to be a little softer on us but they aren’t which I think is why our team has gotten good so far this season.”
The team has had only one game this season so far. The field is very different from a normal size football field by only being one-third the length of a regular high school football field. Tishgart explained how this impacts the outcomes of the games.
“The games are 15 minutes running halves which really only gives you a maximum of eight chances to score,” Tishgart said. “The size of the field allows for more close call and high energy games.”
Although it is only the beginning of the season Campbell describes her excitement for the game and the girls she gets to call her teammates.
“I enjoy just having fun with my team and being able to compete and strategize with my teammates,” Campbell said. “Also, I have enjoyed the good new workouts, meeting new friends, and being able to thrive in a playful environment with more relationships to coach Purdue and coach Santikham.”
According to Campbell and Tishgart many girls use flag football as a fun, low pressure workout opportunity. Even though the team believes it is low pressure, according to Santikham there are still many expectations for the team this season.
“Expectations-wise I expect us to be able to go out and compete 100 percent every game, with that we should win the games we are favored in and be able to compete and hopefully win the game that are tougher,” Santikham said. “Outside of winning, we want the girls to have fun this season and grow the game, as well as representing Bowie High School well.
Even though Santikham has high expectations for the team, he also values the work ethic and the competitiveness of all the girls on the team. He describes what he has noticed so far for coaching for Bowie.
“The girls are really competitive and love to practice, they want to succeed and go all out at all times,” Santikham said. “On top of that they know how to keep the energy up and make everything fun while still getting the most out of the workouts and practices.”
