Unified flag football has kicked off their 23-24 season. Unified flag football is different from the normal football games spectators would watch in the stands.
Unified flag football is similar to normal football, except it includes everyone with or without an intellectual disability with rules that help accommodate. There are buddies that partner up in the program. The rules are designed to have fun, but also to be sure that it gets the students together. Unified also does basketball and track and field as well, so there are more opportunities to play in other sports to build new friendships and compete with other schools..
Head coach Rose Escalante explained the rules that are different from what regular football has in store. “We only have two quarters, and each quarter is 20 minutes long,” Escalante said, “and we have a three minute halftime. There are a lot of differences, but we only play six games.” There can be three partners that help if one of the athletes can not catch the ball or run.
Sometimes schools do not have enough athletes to compete in the game, so they only have five games instead of six.. “Some of the schools can not get enough kids to play so we end up canceling or loaning them some athletes so we can play,” Escalante also explained. It is also so that way it is fair for the other teams to have athletes in them since the team has many athletes.
There is also a unified cheer leading team. Sophomore Ani Chawla is a cheerleader and partners with the program to cheer. There are also differences in the cheer leading component as well. “We do less moves,” Chawla explains, “We also do not jump, but we all do it so we are having fun. That is what our goal is.” The cheer team does not have a cheer head-captain, so it is more equal for the players’ learning experience.
Sophomore Aubrie Fowler plays in the Unified flag football team and expresses that there are differences with how the quarter is being played. “In regular football, you tackle and you just throw the football,” Fowler said, “but it is a little different.” The unified team also uses flag belts, instead of in a regular four quarter session.
With the new season coming up for unified flag football, there are many opportunities to make friends and play the game. With different rules that help accommodate those who have intellectual disabilities helps with making the game equal for all athletes to enjoy.
Unified flag football played Hamilton on Thurs. Aug. 31 at home at six in the evening. The team won the game 42-28. Their next game is on Sept 6 at home against Dobson.
