Montclair High School’s girls flag football team will play its first official game Thursday against Montville. The club team, comprised of about 20 girls in 9th-12th grade have been practicing since mid-March under the direction of Head Coach Philip Dorch and Assistant Coach Cecil Stinson. Dorch is a former Montclair High School player who recently coached the MHS JV boys basketball team and was approached by Interim Athletic Director Ron Anello to lead the girls flag team. Stinson is the Head Varsity boys basketball coach. “I love football and I enjoy giving back to the high school community,” said Dorch. “I thought it would be awesome to be part of the inaugural season.”
The MHS club is part of the state girls flag football program, now in its third year, underwritten by the New York Jets and Nike.
Junior Bridget Martens began the groundwork for the club late last school year “I had the idea to start a team while playing football with a group of guys from the MHS football team and some other friends. I have always loved to play and after doing some research, I found that other schools in New Jersey had started their own girls flag football teams for the spring season. I decided that I wanted to create this opportunity for myself and any other girl who has shared my love of playing,” she explained.
Martens reached out to Anello and Principal Jeff Freeman who were immediately on board. While Anello handled the logistics, Martens focused on outreach to the student body, setting up an interest meeting to recruit members. Anello brought the proposal to a Board of Education meeting, where he got approval and funding for coaches. “Everything fell into place just in time for the season,” Martens said. “Coach Dorch and Coach Stinson are truly the best coaches we could have hoped for and combined with a motivated group of girls, I can’t wait to see what this season has in store.”
Last month the team participated in a jamboree hosted by the Jets at the organization’s Atlantic Health Training Center in Florham Park. More than 30 teams from New Jersey and New York scrimmaged against each other and had the opportunity to work with Jets’ strength coaches.
Flag football games, played across 80 yards, are 32-minutes-long with four, eight-minute quarters and follow traditional seven-on-seven football rules.
MHS will play six regular season games, two home at Woodman Field, two away and one at the Jets facility.
Schedule:
April 13 at Montville, 6 pm
April 20 at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center, vs. Nutley, 5:30 pm
April 27, home vs. Irvington, 5:30 pm
May 1 at Orange, TBD
May 8 at West Orange, 5:30 pm
May 18, home vs. West Orange, 5:30 pm