As the first semester comes to an end, so do some of the winter sports. Out of the many teams, there was a new team that exceeded expectations. The newest addition to the Scholars Guild Spartans was the flag football team! Here is the inside scoop from Coach Brian Lunsford about this amazing new team:
Q. What led you to coach this team?
When Coach Margaret asked me to coach this team… I didn’t hesitate to answer yes. Well… after checking with my wife, of course. I have always been a huge supporter of athletics in schools. I love SGA, love flag football, and my own daughter wanted to be part of the team. I just had to jump on this opportunity.
Q. Were most of the players new to flag football, and if so were there some challenges?
Most of the players had some knowledge about basic football. However, none of them had really ever played “flag” football. I’m just glad that I had a group of talented and intelligent young ladies who grasped the concept rather quickly. The referees on the other hand… could definitely use another look at the rulebook.
Q. What were your coaching goals going into the season?
From the beginning, we all wanted to win state. Coach BRob and I really focused on working with the players to help them grow. We wanted them to make mistakes and learn from them. If they dropped a ball or missed a flag pull, that’s OK. Learn from it and move on. We wanted them to understand the importance of their position and their role in the game. Most of all, we wanted them to have fun. I told the players that there were only two ways they could really upset me: that was lack of effort and poor sportsmanship. At the end of the day, we are “one team” that depends on one another, we represent Scholars Guild Academy, and most importantly, we do everything for HIS glory.
Q. What was your favorite moment of this season?
I’ll have to say my favorite moment of the season was when I saw the faces of the players and the families when we won the state championship. The rest of the season had many great moments… almost too many to tell. I love almost every moment I had with this team,, from what we learned in practice all the way down to their funny conversations before and after practice. I have a lot of dirt on people now.
Q. What advice would you give to those who want to play flag football?
We expect everyone who commits to the team to prove that we can depend on them and that they will do their best in every way. They need to be flexible both on and off the field. Some practices and games change at the drop of a hat. We do our best to stay true to a schedule, but we overlap with other sports and it’s just something that comes with it. The players and parents know exactly what I’m talking about.
If you could coach any sport, which would you choose?
My love and passion for sports is mainly in football and baseball. For now, I’d like to stay right where I am.
Overall, this team had an incredible first season! It was so exciting to hear about all of their wins, including winning state! Can’t wait to see how this team grows next season!
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