News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Van Buren High School will offer a girl’s flag football team for the first time this fall.
TSSAA approved flag football as a sanctioned sport in April. Head coach Shane Hall said he saw a chance to bring some football to the high school.
“We talked to Coach Sullivan (Van Buren’s Athletic Director) and he said ‘take it and run with it and we’ll see where it goes’,” Hall said. “And ever since then it’s happened really, really fast. And administration has been behind it, Coach Sullivan has been behind it and the kids have responded really well to the idea of it. That’s pretty much where it is, my love of football and wanting to help out.”
Hall said he has only been teaching since 2021 and this spring will be his first taste of coaching. He said it was not until he brought the idea to the students that the full scope of this program set in.
“We had 30 female students sign up saying they are interested,” Hall said. “Which is a huge number considering one, our student body number and two we’re talking about seven on seven football. So we were really impressed with 30 signups.”
Hall said that due to the popularity of basketball in Spencer, the team is going to have to share athletes which will effect their inaugural season’s schedule.
“Coach Sapp and his girls are prepared to have a great season, so we wanted to make sure that we afforded them every opportunity in case they go on a run,” Hall said. “So, we’re holding off until the last week of March before we start playing our first games.”
Though he is still filling out their schedule with schools across the region, Hall said they already have games lined up with White County, Stone Memorial, Rhea County and Warren County.
“I’m hoping that once the season gets started, the community will come out and support these girls,” Hall said. “I think that’s going to happen, that’s just from what I’m hearing. But, we’re really excited to see what happens.”
