Venice High has debuted girls’ flag football this fall which is “making history,” according to physical education teacher Briana Vestal, a coach.
“The girls know that they’re pioneers in this sport at our school,” she said.
“We’re also building a legacy for girls’ sports at Venice High, and it’s exciting to see them embrace that challenge and grow as athletes and leaders.”
The team will play against the Sea Hawks at Redondo Union, 2-0, today at 3:30 p.m.
Vestal said the team has been learning along the way in preparation for their game against the Sea Hawks.
“Redondo Union is a strong team, and we’ve been preparing diligently,” she said.
“The girls are motivated, and I’m confident we’ll bring the energy we need to put up a great performance.”
Vestal said the team has had to make some changes in practices due to the record high heat this past week.
“On Friday, we moved practice indoors and walked through plays in the air-conditioned gym, which allowed us to focus on strategy without risking heat-related issues,” she said.
“It’s important to keep the players healthy while still staying prepared for our games.”
The team is currently 1-1, following their most recent game against Culver City, the Gondoliers went 32-0.
Senior Leilani Taylor, a co-captain with Sophomore Abisola Forrester, said she’d been anticipating the girls’ flag football team since she’d heard about it potentially coming to Venice.
“I always had a strong passion for the team and the sport,” said Taylor.
“I began to practice with the football team during the summer to get extra practice before the season.”
In the Gondoliers’ first game of the season against the Roosevelt Rough Riders, the team lost 12-0. Forrester said “losing wasn’t optimal but we overcame that and learned so much in the process.”
“It was our first game so I think most of us were pretty nervous and just trying to figure out our flow as a team.”
She said that the following game against Culver City, the team “really stepped up” their game.
Forrester highlights the positive team atmosphere.
“Our team is really a vibe,” she said.
