By creating a welcoming atmosphere for players on the team, the Souderton girls flag football team are hoping to win their games.
With the new season, starting players and coaches are settling into the changes that come each season as they get back into the groove of the sport.
According to flag football coach Bill Coddington, he is trying to build a positive experience for all players and “pushing for growth.”
“Coaching takes a lot of time and effort. If you want to have a successful program, the program is not just about winning,” Coddington said. “The programs are about building something that you can be proud of.”
As flag football becomes more sought out by students, Coddington sees a change in the team dynamic.
“A challenge I foresee here is that we only had 16 girls last year with only a varsity team,” Coddington said. “There have been a lot of girls coming to open practices to express their interest in the sport.”
Coddington said that returning players would try out for the team this year.
“I think we have 11 coming back. It is night and day as to where they are from last year,” Coddington said. “They learned a lot.”
Coach Matt Haines said that one of his favorite things about becoming a coach is “people discovering a new sport.”
“It is neat to experience people discovering a new sport,” Haines said. “I’d say I’m passionate about the game of football, I’ve always enjoyed playing football. I think coaching is so fun because you get to see your athletes get passionate about a sport that you’re passionate about.”
For Haines, “It is easy to see improvement” on the team throughout the season.
The coaches are ready to see what the flag football team has in store.
“We went to Central Bucks and we had no idea how good we were,” Coddington said. “We blew them out and it was a nice win. Everyone came together because this was for real this time.”
Sophomore Addison Parvin shares a similar outlook. “It was so fun to win a football game,” Parvin said.