With Women's Sports Finally Getting Deserved Recognition The New Orleans Saints Are Ushering In The Next Generation

The New Orleans Saints have begun the inaugural season of girls high school flag football across the city. And its rousing early success is sure to have a generational impact.

Sophie B. Write and McDonogh 35 high schools square off in the opening weekend of action. / Michael Democker/New Orleans Saints

An endeavor years in the making is set to have an impact for future generations. The New Orleans Saints have said “yes” to women’s sports through their recent initiative of developing and launching a girls high school flag football season in the Greater New Orleans area.

With ten schools participating, the first weekend of the season was a rousing success. From intense competition and packed audiences to highlight plays and animated celebrations, these young athletes provided it all.

Even with all the fun and talent on full display, the crux of the opening weekend, excellence, was not overshadowed. Athletic Director of The Willow School of New Orleans, (who won their opening game against East Jefferson High School 32-0) Dr. Ulyses Collins, summed it up perfectly when asked about the importance of this initiative. “Never underestimate a child’s opportunity to succeed.”

That is what Senior Director of Social Responsibility and Youth Sports Development, Elicia Broussard Sheridan and her phenomenal team of Austin Pasco, Ahmad Jones, Adam Fournier and Jason Lapouble have strived to showcase for so long. Years of planning, meetings, and organization have gone into making this opportunity a reality for students across the community. Seeing it fully realized on the field at the Willow School was a triumphant moment for Sheridan.

"I almost teared up," she told me recalling the first series of games. "I know the opportunity for these girls can make a difference." Those opportunities extend beyond the field. The students are also given access to mentorships with a variety of Saints staff members to introduce them to potential futures and passions. They can take part in career-shadowing, panels, character development efforts and more.

The intent is to introduce these young athletes to the game, yes. But also to show them that the expansive world of sports goes beyond the field. If students are interested in the arts, they can be introduced to the graphic design and social media aspects of an NFL team. Players that have a passion of education and community get connected with the Saints' first-class department in those efforts.

But of course, it is hard to take the focus off of the incredibly fun and competitive environment on the field. Each week, the organization will highlight a coach, defensive player and offensive player of the week. Being recognized publicly by one of the largest brands in Louisiana, and perhaps the Gulf Coast, is an unforgettable moment for a lot of the participants.

The Willow School's Imani Talbott sprints for one of her four touchdowns against East Jefferson High School as Saints OL Nick Saldiveri looks on. / Michael Democker/New Orleans Saints

The inaugural offensive player of the week, The Willow School's Imani Talbott, was ecstatic to join the flag football team for her school. Not just for herself, but for everyone that had signed on to participate. "I think this is a really huge opportunity," she said. "As a girl, I don't get a lot of chance to play football. I low-key joined the team just because I've never had the chance to play football before. And now I'm out here and I just had a realy good game. It feels great knowing that other girls are going to have the opportunity to do this too. It feels great!"

Talbott set the Willow School's field ablaze with four big touchdowns, three of which coming on the first play of consecutive possessions. The only thing more unstoppable than her play on the field was her excitement for her teammates. Like a tried and true NFL veteran, it was all about "we" instead of "me".

That kind of attitude exemplified the lesson her coach, Donnie Russell, hopes many will take away from this opportunity. "It's no one person out here," Russell said. "Imani (Talbott) scored four touchdowns. She did her interview with the Saints production staff and not once did she say 'I did this,' or 'I did that.' Everything was 'we'. We surrender the me for the we. Everything she said was 'my team did this for me.'"

Russell is not new to the girls flag football space either. He helped lead the Edna Karr girls high school Flag Football team to a championship in the past and has worked with multiple high school sports programs throughout the city. Coming back to girls flag football was a natural choice for him.

Danielle Allen, the league's McDonogh 35 coach, sees the impact on her students from a variety of angles. Especially in a day wherein women's sports is both praised and scrutinized, sometimes with abhorrent vitriol. Despite the latter, her team is excited to blaze the trail as a part of the pilot that will eventually lead to a fully-sanctioned high school sport.

"Although there is no state championship attached to it now," Allen said. "It's great that they are the catalyst in this inaugural season. So that they can say, 20 years from now, 'I was the first. I had the opportunity to play flag football.' Then they can always say that they were a apart of the change."

New Orleans Saints OL Nick Saldiveri and members of the Saints Cheer Krewe were on hand for the opening action. / Michael Democker/New Orleans Saints

Hopefully that change is plentiful and on the way soon. There are some serious advocates to make Louisiana the eleventh state in the nation to sanction girls flag as a fully-fledged athletics program, complete with its own state championship and more.

"I could not ask for better support." Sheridan explained when highlighting the incredible list of organizations, partners and players in this imperative initiative. Along with the Saints, whose support goes as high as Team Owner Gayle Benson, Team President Dennis Lauscha and Senior Vice President of Communications, Broadcasting, Community and Government Relations Greg Bensel, the program has received ample support from shoe wear and apparel company Nike, the Louisiana High School Athletics Administration (LHSAA), RCX Sports and more. Saints Offensive Lineman Nick Saldiveri and Punter Lou Hedley also led each game's coin toss and cheered the players on from the sideline."

Nike provided custom jerseys for the student-athletes, fully emblazoned with school names, numbers and the iconic Nike-swoosh. The jerseys are custom made for the athletes and were revealed to them at the Saints facility in Metairie, Lou. One student exclaimed after arriving to the facility and getting to work at the team's indoor field, "This is so cool! They're treating us like the football players!" Which is exactly the goal.

The NFL has gone through some extensive pursuits to grow its fanbase. Efforts included international games, playoff matchups aired on children's television networks and more. But opening its game to include women has been an opportunity too long left untapped. That changes with endeavors like this one. This inaugural season for girls flag football is a quantifiable and demonstrable example of "Don't talk about it. Be about it." The Saints have proven that when it comes to women's sports, they are about it.

The next effort should be taken on by the Louisiana High School Athletics Association in sanctioning girls flag as a fully-realized high school athletics program. There are already schools that are not a part of the pilot program showing interest in joining. The momentum is here, and it is time to build on it.

That is far from just the opinion of one writer, by the way. Ronald Gearing, the athletic director for New Orleans public schools agrees. "I still sit on the executive board of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association," Gearing said. "I would like them to start (girls flag football) with all 400 or so schools that they have. It’s another avenue for these girls.”