Winning coaches will receive a $2,000 grant for their school’s girls flag football program.
TAMPA, Fla. — Editor’s note: The above video is from a previous story.
Timely for International Women’s Day, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced it will be the first NFL team to honor girls flag football coaches with a weekly award program.
The High School Girls Flag Football Coach of the Week award will be presented by Nike. The Bucs say the program increases “the team’s commitment to supporting gender equality on and off the field.”
The Bucs add it’s the first NFL team to create a coach of the week program dedicated solely to girls flag football. Here in Florida, the high school sport is a sanctioned spring varsity sport.
“Florida is home to some of the nation’s top girls flag football programs, and we’re proud to give these athletes and coaches the same recognition as their tackle football counterparts,” Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, Buccaneers Co-Owner said in a statement. “The High School Coach of the Week award has been a longstanding community initiative that we look forward to continuing this fall, and as flag football continues to gain traction as one of America’s fastest-growing sports, the Buccaneers are eager to honor those who are leading the way right here in Tampa Bay.”
People can vote for Week One nominees starting Tuesday on Buccaneers.com. Then, each week fans will be able to vote for a deserving coach throughout the spring season.
Coaches who win will get a $2,000 grant from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation to support the school’s flag football program. Coaching gear will also be provided by Nike.
All winning coaches will also be considered for the 2022 Buccaneers High School Girls Flag Football Coach of the Year honor. That award also comes with a $2,000 grant to the winning coach’s school. That award will be given at the end of the spring season.
The Bucs say the Week One nominees had noteworthy appearances in last week’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers Girls Flag Football Preseason Classic.
The nominees are the following:
- Jordan Peterson of Brandon High School
- Josh Saunders of Robinson High School
- Dylan Shearon of Wharton High School
- Darryl Simmons of Largo High School
“Tampa Bay-area coaching nominees are selected by the Buccaneers based on a coach’s impact both on and off the field, including demonstrating leadership, showing a commitment to teaching fundamentals and player safety, exhibiting positive behavior, establishing respectful and productive relationships with other coaches, and being dedicated to growing the sport of flag football in the Tampa Bay community,” the Bucs said in a statement.
For more details and award guidelines, click here. Every Saturday, weekly winners will be announced and posted on the Buccaneers’ website.
Travis Burnett
A pioneer in the flag football community, Travis helped co-found the Flag Football World Championship Tour, FlagSpin and USA Flag. Featuring 15+ years of content creation for the sport of flag football, creating and managing the largest flag football tournaments on the planet, coaching experience at the youth and adult level as well as an active player with National and World Championship level experience.
