Inaugural flag football season for girls begins at Sunlake High School

Girls flag football set to begin at Pasco County school

FOX 13’s Briona Arradondo has a look at the inaugural season of girls flag football at Sunlake High School in Pasco County.

TAMPA - Sunlake High School’s girls flag football team will play its very first game in a pre-season matchup on Monday, ahead of the team’s inaugural season this month.

"You’re playing for all the girls that couldn’t play this sport for the last 20 years in this school," said Jimmy Barbarise, the head coach of Sunlake High School’s girls flag football team.

Many of the students play other sports like volleyball or soccer, and they’ve never played flag football before. That’s why offensive captain and wide receiver Gwyneth Taylor wanted to try something new.

"I was a little scared coming in because I didn't know a lot of the rules and I didn't know like, how I would fit in. But everyone is really nice, and the team environment's really positive," said Taylor, who is the team’s wide receiver and a sophomore at Sunlake High School.

Sunlake High School’s girls flag football team will play its very first game in a pre-season matchup on Monday, ahead of the team’s inaugural season this month.

Learning the game is what coaches Chris Ramirez and Barbarise are all about. They originally envisioned their own daughters playing the game. Then, finally in 2024, the Pasco County community grabbed the ball and brought it home through their support.

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"For me, it's so surreal because something that we've been pursuing since 2007. Although our daughters can't be part of it, the rest of these young ladies moving forward in Pasco County can," said Barbarise.

About 60 girls tried out for the inaugural season, before the coaches named the team and its captains for the spring. Their quarterback is offensive captain and sophomore Kate smith.

"I've played football since I was seven, and I like just transferred here in December actually," said Smith.

Her cleats landed her right where she belongs with the Seahawks.

"It's actually great because I went to middle school with them and then I transferred out to go play Flag at a different school because we didn't have flag here," said Smith. "And then I just came back to play with my friends that I grew up with and the coaches."

Sunlake High School’s girls flag football team will play its very first game in a pre-season matchup on Monday, ahead of the team’s inaugural season this month.

Every pointer and every play help them grip the opportunity to grow as a team.

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"We're not going to like shame you if you do bad. We're just going to pick you up and help you and like teach you in a good way," said Smith.

With their eye on Monday's pre-season games, they plan to make a statement.

"I'm looking forward to winning. I feel like this team has the opportunity to just go all the way. We're going to go to state. We're going to win everything," said Taylor.

What's next:

The Sunlake’s girls flag football team will play two pre-season games Monday at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers flag football kick off and pre-season classic. Then the team will have their inaugural regular season game on February 18.

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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Briona Arradondo.

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