By Kyle LoJacono
The Steinbrenner flag football team is taking inspiration from the girls soccer squad that won the Class 4A state championship only a few weeks ago.
“Our goal is to get to the state championship game and win just like girls soccer did,” said sophomore running back and middle linebacker Alyssa Dawson.
Warriors quarterback Alexandra Fernandez, a sophomore, has the same goal in mind.
“My standards are high, so my goal is to go to states this year,” Fernandez said.
Steinbrenner (2-2) went 1-7 last year, but added several new components, including coach Jen Graham. She is married to Steinbrenner football coach Floyd Graham.
“I had the opportunity to coach, and I knew I could get my husband to help out,” Jen said. “I was on the sidelines for all his football games and am at his practices, so I thought it would be fun to do a little role reversal. I love football and I didn’t get the chance to play growing up. If they offered it when I was in school, I definitely would have.”
The football squad had a tough first year as well, going winless in varsity contests. The Warriors redoubled their work ethic in the school’s second year, and were rewarded with a 5-5 record.
“We’ve modeled our program after what the boys do,” Jen said. “We had seven weeks of morning conditioning at 6 in the morning before the season, which is what the guys do. We couldn’t use footballs, but we were getting ready for the year. They figured it’s what the guys do to get ready for the year and they thought it was cool that they were too.”
Jen also helped attract junior corner back Cary Anne Bame to the team. Bame is the Warriors libero on the volleyball team, which Graham is an assistant with.
“I played libero and defense for flag football, and I’ve noticed a lot of similarities,” Bame said. “In flag football, it’s all about covering your area. In volleyball, it’s the same thing. That’s how the coaches have broken it down for me. Also, in volleyball you have to back your teammates up, and we have to do the same thing as defensive backs.”
Bame, who made the All-Laker/All-Lutz News volleyball first team this season, said she was not expecting flag football to be as extreme as it has been.
“They’re telling me it’s a lot more intense than last year,” Bame said. “So I came out the first day and I wasn’t expecting it to be that intense. So I wasn’t expecting to be doing 100-yards sprints the first day.”
Dawson is another new addition, transferring in from Land O’ Lakes. She feels the preseason workouts will serve them well this year.
“It’s more mental toughness to get here at 6 in the morning and then go to school,” Dawson said. “It gets you ready for the season.”
The Warriors are in one of the more competitive districts, which includes area schools like Freedom, Gaither, Sickles and Wharton.
The Patriots won two district titles in 2007 and 2008. The Cowboys won the title in 2009 and were the runner-up last season. Alonso won District 12 in 2010, making it all the way to the state title game. Jen says that shows how competitive the sport is becoming.
“Before it was just get together and throw a ball around,” Jen said. “It wasn’t really organized. Now it’s much different. Every year it’s getting better, and coaches are really getting into it. I mean, we had a seven-week preseason and now the season, so that’s 15 weeks dedicated to flag football. It’s become big time, and I think it’ll be interesting to see where it goes.”
The Warriors next play at home against Wharton on Thursday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m.
