For the past 12 years juniors and seniors have come together to prepare for the chance to compete in a flag football tournament at Halas Hall. This opportunity provides teams with the chance to win Bears tickets and to get announced on the field during that game.
Not only do the teams get to play football in the Bears facility, but the players and coaches are also treated very well. They are given a tour of Halas Hall and are provided with meals throughout the day.
However, this year the opportunity might not be a possibility. The Bears’ focus has shifted towards giving inner city schools a chance to participate.
“The last three years this was the route they have been trying to go,” said Flag Football Coach Matt Fiordirosa.
Therefore, the fate of the flag football team is unknown.
As of now, the team has practice every Thursday. This is where they learn the rules of the game, and stay prepared because, although slim, there is a chance that the Lake Forest Flag Football team gets the call up.
Although the team practices with no guarantees of going to Halas Hall, there is still a possibility that there will be some kind of season.
One possibility is that the Bears have a flag football league of their own. This would be a league that our flag football team could then join. However the team would be playing for different stakes than playing at Halas hall.
“If this doesn’t work out, that’s probably going to be the route we choose after this. Instead of playing for Bears tickets, we would play to qualify for Nationals,” Fiordirosa said.
Another possible option, if playing for Bears tickets or Nationals doesn’t pan out, is that the flag football team would make teams of their own. They would play against each other with not much on the line, just to have a good time.
“ Worst case scenario … We have 20 kids; we can put a couple teams together of our own, and we can do some kind of tournament of our own,” Fiordirosa said.
Many players have expressed frustration since it’s what some players look forward to throughout all of high school. However they still get a chance to play and have fun which is what the sport is all about.
“I am upset we might not get the chance to compete this year at Halas Hall because I think it would’ve been a cool opportunity to play on the same field as Bears players,” senior Cooper Hender said. “But I am happy we didn’t just throw the season away and that we are staying prepared for whatever ends up happening.”
