It may be Season 1 for flag football at Gananda but that doesn’t mean the expectations are at a beginner level.
“We’re competitive,” junior Ella Lathrop said. “And it’s amazing, as a team, how quickly we’ve picked up on it.”
The Blue Panthers are scheduled to open their inaugural flag football season on March 26 with a home game against Williamson and coach Emily Slentz has plenty to smile about. For one, the team and the opportunity exists. Secondly, she’s pleased with the approach and intensity the team is showing through two weeks of practice.
“The girls have caught on really fast,” said Slentz. “We even introduced the playbook sooner than expected. We’re very happy with the progress.”
Slentz had the Blue Panthers begin with the basics. Learning how to correctly pull flags for a tackle, catching and throwing and processing a different type of teamwork makes the foundation of what Slentz wants to build. And with athletes from soccer, basketball and volleyball — all teams that enjoyed solid success this school year — the Blue Panthers are coming into the flag football season loaded with confidence.
“There are a lot of rules and plays to learn,” senior Maria Melnick said. “But we have high expectations.”
Slentz, who coaches the girls varsity soccer team, isn’t surprised by the confidence. The football team has plenty of athletes are used to winning, so they expect no different even if the sport they’re playing this spring is new.
“We expect to compete and win as many games as possible,” said Slentz. “But we’re also having a blast in the process.”
2024 Flag Football Schedule
(subject to change; home games at Richard Mann Elementary)
March 26: vs. Williamson, 6 pm
April 11: at East Rochester, 7 pm
April 13: at Le Roy, 10 am
April 24: vs Rochester Prep, 4:30 pm
April 26: vs. Bishop Kearney, 4:30 pm
April 27: vs. Rochester Academy Charter 1:30 pm
April 30: vs. Newark, 4:30 pm
May 2: at Young Women’s College Prep, 6 pm