New Sandy Girls Flag Football Team Making History

By Abby Haney, The Sandy Standard

Sandy High School’s stadium is packed with students, teachers, parents, and football fans. Everyone is cheering loudly and excitedly for their home team to pull out another win. Football and a stadium game aren’t new to Sandy, but what has changed is the time of year: the excitement of football is seen in spring, not fall. Starting this year, Sandy High has introduced their first girls flag football team. 

Flag football recently became an OSAA official sport. With this, Sandy High jumped at the opportunity to start their own team. Kim Turin and Tony Turin lead the charge in creating the team for the school. 

“We’re passionate about it. Jamela [Turin’s daughter] really wanted to play it. She has an older brother that plays football and she’s been a part of football for many years. Knowing that other schools were doing it, and Sandy was behind in not providing it for their students, we didn’t feel that it was right; they didn’t provide it as an opportunity for a lot of girls,” Kim said.

Flag football was a program many schools had already begun, though not as an OSAA sport. Consequently, they had experience, while Sandy was playing catch-up in developing players. 

“The challenge was just having to start so far back. A lot of the programs were playing, and this is their third year, so since this is our very first year, we just felt like we were behind,” Tony said. “But the surprise has been the amount of growth the girls have shown, and I think a lot of it just comes from their desire to have the program to be coached – and the excitement for the sport in general has been really fun.”

Many girls other than Turin’s daughter Jamela have expressed a desire to develop the sport in Sandy. This fueled their drive to learn and put in the effort to become a top team in the state. 

“Just seeing the group of girls that wanted it and observing their athletic ability and talent, along with their passion, they just needed someone in the community to fight for them,” Tony said. The team started the season undefeated and placed top ten in the state. 

“We have a good group of girls that are willing to work hard, and if they come out to play, I don't think there’s anyone in the state that can top us,” Kim said. 

For some girls on the team, this is the first team sport they have played in high school. Sandy High junior Madeline Hohl wanted to be a part of a team sport, and flag football provided that opportunity. 

“I wanted to do a sport that was a part of the school. Flag football was an opportunity to get involved without any previous experience,” Hohl said. For others, it provided bonding time with their friends. 

“It sounded fun and a lot of my friends were doing it,” Sandy High senior Daniela Ramirez said. The team is composed of girls from varied backgrounds, whether it’s girls who played soccer in the fall or girls who dropped track to play flag football instead.

“It's been great. It's the best first team I have been on. All the girls are really encouraging. They all come from so many different sports, so you get the soccer and volleyball hype and competitiveness from basketball,” Ramirez said. Girls leaving their sport for flag football was a concern and a challenge the Turin’s had to overcome. But they found many didn’t leave their spring sport. 

“The biggest fight and the biggest argument was that it pulled girls from other sports in the spring, but, as we have found, most of the girls on the team are not other spring-sport athletes, maybe just a handful of them,”  Kim said. 

The team's first home game was April 3 against Gresham High School. Gresham is a fierce team rival that was top in the state last year. However, the Sandy girls won 21-20, engendering high morale and excitement. 

“I think that set the standard. Gresham’s a top team in the state. They’re very good, and it lets our girls realize we can play ball,” Kim said. In previous games, the score gap has been wider, making this game intense, but all the more worthwhile.

“This one felt like we had to work for it, so it was very rewarding,” Hohl said. Having a flag football team at Sandy was momentous for the players, and all girls, as it allowed their engagement in an American favorite sport: football. 

“Girls' sports aren't as popular or recognized as men's sports. We’re getting a team out that combines the hype of men's sports with women. I hope that brings out bigger crowds. People in Sandy love football and it’s a big thing in the community. Considering how successful our teams have been thus far, I’m hoping for even better student participation,” Ramirez said. Hype and encouragement by Sandy motivates the team and proves their commitment to the sport. 

Throughout the season, the team has been fighting for wins and a potential spot in playoffs. Their next game is May 1 at home with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. against rival Barlow High School.