A new and exciting opportunity has recently arisen for female high school students who are interested in playing flag football, a sport that has grown in popularity in recent years. In honor of the 36th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day, the New York Jets and Nike have joined forces to further the expansion of the sport with the establishment of a high school girls’ flag football league. This league will include 40 schools, stretching across Long Island and New Jersey, and senior Izzy Sanchez will be at the forefront.  

 The league was expanded this year, due in part to the Jets and their collaboration with National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The original Jets High School Girls Flag Football League was established over a decade ago, with the involvement of only a few cities. The added involvement of New Jersey and Long Island Schools seeks to expand the movement and have more schools follow suit. The Jets, in conjunction with Nike and the NFL Foundation, are providing customized uniforms, equipment, and a grant program to participating schools to cover costs and gain as much involvement as possible. The Jets’ Women’s Organization is also planning to create a mentorship program, where select players get one-on-one training with the pros.

With COVID-19 restrictions on the decline, the league was finally able to meet in person on Feb. 1 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. Each participating city was asked to nominate a representative to attend, and Sanchez was overjoyed to be chosen from Lynbrook. All attending players were presented with their customized uniforms and given a guided tour of the Jets locker room and the stadium.  

 “I was extremely appreciative to be selected for such an amazing experience,” Sanchez said. “My family and I are huge Jets fans, and I grew up cheering them on. Having a chance to go where they play was so surreal.”

Sanchez maintains a highly active lifestyle, playing a variety of sports. She has played soccer since she was six years old, is a runner on the LHS varsity track team, and she will soon play flag football. Some of her favorite activities are running, bike riding, and exercising. After participating in the LHS Powderpuff flag football game, Sanchez fell in love with the sport and became interested in playing. The emergence of flag football at LHS gives her and others the chance to play in a real league. 

Sanchez shared that her greatest role model throughout her life has been her grandpa. “He was always my biggest fan and the biggest Jet fan I knew,” Sanchez said. “He was the first person to expose me to all different sports and fueled the confidence I needed to succeed.”

Aside from her athletic ability, Sanchez displays leadership qualities, making her the perfect athlete to represent LHS in this exciting, new opportunity. She was nominated by Physical Education Teacher Robert Kolb and Lynbrook Athletics Director Joseph Martillotti.

“We nominated Izzy for many reasons, the top reason being her character,” Kolb said. “If you know Izzy, she is hard working on and off the field, smart, a great athlete, and she always has a smile on her face throughout the day. Her enthusiasm and willingness to help get this program started is going to be influential for us,” Kolb added.

When the flag football season begins in the spring, teams will compete in a minimum seven-game regular season that will culminate in a state championship game, according to the New York Jets (newyorkjets.com). Kolb will coach the LHS team. He has worked closely with Sanchez throughout her high school sports career, as her mentor in the college recruitment process, and the two have built a strong bond; they share the same enthusiasm for the league coming to LHS, and they cannot wait for the season to begin. 

“I wanted to be a part of this program the moment our athletics director, Mr. Martillotti, brought it to my attention,” Kolb said. “We both felt that it would be an opportunity that our community would embrace and our students would love… It’s going to be a fun journey!”

Nike and the New York Jets have created an exciting opportunity for young women to delve into this fast-growing sport. Members of the Lynbrook community are eager to see the program unfold as the spring season quickly approaches. While the flag football movement gains more momentum, it is creating more opportunity for equality in sports and giving women a chance to be represented in football. Many are hopeful that it will be LHS who makes an appearance at the state championship game with Sanchez leading her team.