On Monday, October 26, the Xavier flag football team played hard but ended up losing 35-0 against Marana High School.
With 24 freshwomen and sophomores on its roster, Xavier College Preparatory’s flag football team is building a new identity with a younger generation of players.
After graduating 11 seniors last season, the team has had to adjust to a younger roster, with returning players stepping into larger roles and developing their experience on the field.
Head coach Matthew Reum said, “The team’s youth has been one of the biggest challenges this season, as players bring different levels of experience to the field.”
With many seasoned players gone, younger athletes have had to adjust to a new environment.
For the underclasswomen, stepping up in flag football also means learning how to work together and balance individual development in order to create a strong team.
Sophomore Evie Maas ‘29 shared, “It’s a lot different from last year, but we’re all young, and we’re all growing, and it’s a good building year.”
For Maas, football has been a part of her life since childhood. Growing up in a football family, she began playing competitively at 7 years old and is excited to play with the other girls at Xavier.
While the players continue to develop, building relationships off the field has also been a large part of the experience.
The team’s only senior, Rylee Thompson ‘27, has played flag football for two years. She said the previous senior class helped her become more committed to the sport. “I’ve been on it for two years, and the seniors last year made me fall in love with it,” she said.
Being the only senior on a team full of younger players initially felt like a challenge. However, Thompson said getting to know her teammates made the year much more fun.
“I think it was challenging at first because I think it was hard to mingle in, but I think it’s also been really fun,” Thompson said.
Team lunches and other bonding activities have helped the players connect outside of practices and games. Thompson said those opportunities to get to know her teammates better have become some of her best memories.
The team’s younger players are beginning to create their own traditions and memories. While last year’s seniors will always have a place on the team, the current roster has the opportunity to establish its own identity.
For Xavier’s younger athletes, the season offers an opportunity to gain experience that can carry into future years. As freshwomen and sophomores continue developing, they have the chance to become veteran players who will guide the team in future seasons.
“I think my best memory on the team so far was probably the bus rides last year,” Maas shared, highlighting that that time spent together off the field was an additional high point.
Reum commented that the team has done great in developing those relationships despite the differences in age and experience levels.
