In celebration of Women's History Month, the Los Angeles Rams and USA Football partnered with Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) to host a Flag Football Jamboree for 250 middle school girls. The event served all 23 LBUSD schools and featured a "Skills & Drills" clinic with 5-on-5 competitions led by 40 athletes from the district's seven high school girls flag football teams.
Simone White, LBUSD sixth grader, just completed her first season of flag football. "I'm glad that I'm out here because I can show my skills, I can help my girls win and I'm able to bond with them. [This shows] girls can do anything boys can do."
Sophia Fabrigas is a sophomore at Cabrillo High School and was one of the high school mentors at the jamboree that led drills for the middle school students. "Since I was a part of the first flag football team at Cabrillo, it's really cool [to support] the next generation." Several high school girls flag football athletes explained feeling like a big sister to the younger athletes.
By partnering with LBUSD, the Rams hope to increase participation among girls in the district's coed middle school flag football teams, eventually leading to all-girl teams at the middle school level to prepare student-athletes for high school. "It's [their] own playing field. Events like this are exactly what they need for exposure [to flag football]," said Denise Sarno, Cabrillo High School girls athletic director and teacher.
The Rams Women's History Month efforts aim to celebrate the growth of football, the players of today, and the generations of tomorrow who will benefit from increased access to team sports. "The Rams efforts in Women's History Month are to celebrate the women of the past, present and future. We want to equip the young women here today with the knowledge that they can play football, football is a sport for all of us," said Noel Grigsby, Rams associate manager of social justice and football development.
"Young women [are] benefiting physically, mentally and emotionally. Building confidence at this level, creates confident women," added Sarno.
This year marked the second consecutive year USA Football has supported the Rams' girls flag efforts in honor of Women's History Month. "The Rams support women all year long, not just in March," shared USA Football director of events and programs Brittney Brothers.
"[Having] the Rams come down to Long Beach to help middle school girls that are new to the sport, it shows that the community is trying to implement [opportunity] for young women," said Aaya McLyn, Long Beach Polytechnic High School girls flag football quarterback. Last year, the Rams and USA Football hosted a National Team flag football talent identification camp where McLyn was scouted by U.S. National Team coaches and personnel. Following the exposure she received at the camp, she will compete in the 2024 U.S. National Team Trials later this month at the United States Performance Center in Charlotte, N.C.
On Friday, February 3, 2023, California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) sanctioned girls flag football in high schools across California. This achievement allows young women across the state to continue to pursue their passion, elevate football to next level, and become future leaders in sports and in their communities. Since the sanctioning, the Rams have hosted 30 events for girls flag football athletes and have supported over 6,000 girls and women throughout Southern California.
For more information about the Rams' community outreach efforts, visit www.therams.com/community.
