Ransom Everglades has officially joined the recent growing wave of schools embracing girls flag football, a sport that has rapidly gained national recognition. The 2025 spring season marks the launch of the school’s first-ever varsity flag football team, an effort led by both students and coaches who recognized the need for more opportunities in female athletics.
Flag football has been expanding quickly, both at the high school and professional levels, and is set to make its Olympic debut in the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. According to Play Like a Girl, this decision by the International Olympic Committee is a major milestone that will let women showcase their talents in a sport that has traditionally been dominated by men.
At a high school level, NFL Flag reports that flag football has officially become a varsity sport in 14 states, including Florida, California, and New York, with several others expected to do the same.
Following the team’s approval, tryouts began in late January. Despite lasting only three days, tryouts for the Spring season saw a strong turnout, bringing together a diverse group of athletes, some with flag football experience and others completely new to the game.
“This team is made up of athletes from all different sports and skill levels,” said Head Coach Joe Supple. “Some girls have played flag football before, while others are learning the game from scratch—but they’re all putting in the effort and that’s what matters most.”
One of the driving forces behind the creation of the team was Lindsay Ng ’25, who advocated for flag football’s introduction at Ransom Everglades. According to Coach Supple, “Lindsay really pushed for this team. She kept the conversation going and made sure the administration understood how much interest there was.”
Ng, who had played flag football in elementary school, saw the sport as a necessary addition to RE’s athletic program.
“I pushed really hard, and I got a lot of support from administration,” Ng said. “I would send emails and find documentaries and would email it to them and ask them to watch and consider it.” Thankfully, “in the end, they all thought it was a really great idea.”
Although it proved to be difficult, she eventually was able to convince administration that there was enough interest to support a team without negatively impacting other programs like lacrosse and water polo.
“I think once I got them to understand that girls really wanted to do it and there was a need for it and there was a lot of support around it from other students and teachers and administration, then they finally understood and came on board,” she said.
With the team officially formed, the focus shifted to building a competitive program. The players had to quickly adjust to the speed, strategy, and structure of varsity-level flag football.
Before the season even began, Coach Supple said “We had a preseason game yesterday. In practice, they’ve been great. They’re eager to learn. Obviously, as a completely new program, we have a long way to go. Yesterday, we lost to a very, very good Coral Gables team, but we learned a ton about how fast it is and how physical it is,”.
That early challenge, however, only fueled the team’s growth. Just weeks after their loss to Coral Gables, the Raiders took the field for their first regular-season game on Thursday, March 6, against MAST Academy. This time, they showcased their progress, shutting out MAST with a dominant 12-0 victory, marking the first win in program history.
The energy after the game was high, as players celebrated their hard work paying off. The improvement was clear—not just in the score, but in how the team played together on the field. With their first win behind them, the Raiders prepared for a packed schedule, facing multiple games spanning weeks that would put their momentum to the test.
“We’re not too worried about wins and losses yet,” said Supple. “As the year goes on, obviously, our goal is to compete in districts just like any other varsity sport, but we have to do all the little things right before we get to that point.”
Beyond just forming a team, Ng said she’s proud of what it represents—the start of a program that she hopes will grow, giving more girls the chance to compete and be part of something new. “Seeing their competitive sides come out has been amazing,” she said. “Creating a team in a male-dominated sport and giving girls the spotlight in a game similar to what the guys play is really special.”
“I hope that it keeps going at Ransom,” Ng said. “And that other schools, you know, in Florida and in the U.S., see the growing need for it.”
Now that the season has ended, the team holds an impressive 8–2 overall record, going undefeated in league play. Throughout the season, the players continued to grow more comfortable with the game’s pace and strategy, developing stronger communication and confidence on the field. The progress was visible week to week, as the team executed plays more smoothly and adjusted quickly to different opponents. With a solid first season behind them, the program is already gaining momentum heading into its next chapter.
