By Kyle LoJacono
An experienced quarterback is almost an essential for any football team, and Steinbrenner has one of the most seasoned in the area.
The Warriors’ signal caller has seen nearly everything the last three years starting under center and is the program’s all-time leader in passing yards (3,740) and touchdowns (22).
She’s Alexa Fernandez, and she is the unquestionable leader of the offense for the Steinbrenner (1-1) flag football team.
Fernandez, who is also known as Trigger by her teammates, started playing football in her backyard with her older brother Danny, who played for the Warriors’ football team before graduating in 2012.
“I would always help him practice,” Fernandez said. “I would be the receiver to run routes when he was trying to be quarterback, and then when he wanted to be a receiver I’d throw to him. A lot of it came from practicing with my brother.”
Fernandez said she tried out for the squad because she’s always loved sports.
“I just wanted to play, but I couldn’t have told you I expected to be a three-year starting quarterback,” Fernandez said. “It truly is a blessing from God to be a three-year starter. After I started that first year I didn’t want to give up the spot, and I’ve been fighting to stay as the starting quarterback.”
Second-year Steinbrenner coach Gregg Puskas was an offensive assistant during Fernandez’s first year starting and has seen steady progression.
“She’s seems to be a lot more comfortable from that first year,” Puskas said. “She’s, as a player, come a lot way in a sense that she can read defenses a lot better. She understands why plays are being run and when they’re being run. She understands the game a lot better. When she comes to the sidelines she sometimes can tell me the play that I’m wanting her to run because she knows the reasons why we’re running that play.”
Fernandez had a breakout season in 2012, completing 130-of-253 passes for 2,433 yards and seven touchdowns. She was named The Laker/Lutz News Flag Football Player of the Year following the campaign.
Senior Justice Thigpen joined the squad this year and has been impressed with Fernandez’s work.
“I’ve known Trigger since my freshman year,” Thigpen said. “I knew she was a great quarterback, and she’s really shown it with what she’s done. I mean, more than 2,000 yards last year, that’s more than probably 95 percent of the boys in the county.”
Fernandez said she’s been helped by several additions to the squad this season.
“We have a lot more athletes who came out, and that’s really helped me out,” Fernandez said. “Paige Cimino came out from the softball team, and Justice came out from the basketball team, and they’re just so quick and so fast.”
She has also worked to improve her own game.
“The biggest thing I’ve been working on is making the right decisions in certain situations,” Fernandez said. “I tended to sometimes panic here and there and just throw up a crazy ball or something. If I can just keep that calm and make the right play I think I’ll be able to help my team a lot this year.”
Fernandez hopes the combination will help her accomplish one more goal before she graduates.
“I’m really thinking we can win districts this year,” Fernandez said. “We’ve got a lot of talent and really good coaches, so if we keep doing what we’re doing I think we can win our first district championship.”
—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker
