DGS kicked off the fall 2025 sports season with its inaugural flag football team, joining the movement across the country to grow the sport with both a varsity and JV team.
Their season opener on Aug. 27 against DGN saw the Mustangs prevail 34-6. This result sparked conversation and pride across the school.
Coach Matthew Quatman has stated his excitement for flag football at DGS.
“I feel like a lot of people are starting to become a little magnetized to it, which is phenomenal. It’s a hot sport right now,” Quatman said.
The new sport gives female athletes a place to excel in the sport of football, achieving yards, scoring points and rising to leadership positions.
Quatman believes a great player has coachability, accessibility, availability and malleability. He highlighted senior and varsity captain Mila Kosanovic-Cruise as being the prime example of these qualities.
“I’ve always liked playing football.
I just thought I’d never get a chance to play, but I’m glad this sport started senior year,” Kosanovic-Cruise said.
Kosanovic-Cruise, being the person her teammates look to as an example, shared what she believes is most difficult as captain.
“I think it’s kind of keeping everybody else motivated, even when we’re down. That’s probably the most important thing, because you can’t just give up. There’s a whole other half to go,” Kosanovic-Cruise said.
Senior Karen Boakye feels that flag football should be given the same respect as the Friday night boys varsity football games, in terms of the whole community showing up to support the boys team.
“I think the same could be done for [flag] football because we put in the same amount of effort, and we’re just as good,” Boakye said.
Although the sport has gained some national traction, Quatman still thinks that the general public has a lot left to know, especially when it comes to the sport being seen for its difficulty and athleticism.
“Flag football, it’s full-on football. These girls, the speed, the intensity, the ferocity; It’s amazing to watch them do these things, how athletic you have to be, how mentally engaged you have to be and physically accessible. Like to me, I think it’s like, it hits all these different areas that a lot of sports kind of trigger, but this one combines all of them together,” Quatman said.
Boakye highlighted that the team’s games are dynamic and interesting to watch because of their difficulty. She feels that, as the first team for the school, finding their footing as a team in such a dynamic sport has been a main struggle this year.
“Us and North are the new two teams to join the flag football team league. We’re struggling to get accustomed to playing against other schools that have been playing for [a year]. We recently went against a school that won state. I think we’re struggling to kind of figure out our standing and figure out what works for our team to be successful,” Boakye said.
While the season is coming to an end, flag football isn’t going anywhere. Boakye shared that she feels more girls should know that no experience is needed to join the team. Quatman, who stated that he would love to see more athletes enter the sport, agrees.
“I would encourage anyone, if you’re fast, you’re athletic, you know, you’re just interested in football or just interested in the sport in general. Come out and see a practice before next season, come out to a game. We’d love to have you, just come on out and see what it’s all about,” Quatman said.
