This upcoming spring, Union’s women’s flag football team will have its inaugural season as a member of the 32-team Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). The inaugural team will consist of both first-year flag football recruits and current students. The season is expected to have 16 regular-season games, with home games played at College Park Field.
Concordiensis spoke with Frank Rogers, the inaugural women’s flag football coach. Rogers is currently the head coach of the Troy High School girls’ flag football team, which he founded in 2023. He has compiled a 26-13 record over the past three seasons, including a 12-4 record this season. He is also the coach of a New York State Section 2 all-star flag football team that will compete in the AAU Junior Olympic Games in Iowa this July.
“ The main goal is to try to build a foundation for future teams. Many of our student-athletes will be from within the school, and combined with the girls we recruited,” Rogers told Concordiensis.
Rogers explained that many players did not grow up playing flag football. Many teams started within the past four years, and the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) did not recognize girls’ flag football as a state championship sport until the spring 2024 season. Therefore, as a coach, his goal is to build a foundation for the sport and teach players the basics.
As a coach, he said, “It’s a different mindset, but it’s also a positive one for me because I built programs my entire career, so I understand that when you’re building a program, patience is really critical. It’s also making sure that you’re having discipline on the team without causing issues where they lose interest in a sport, and they’re not enjoying the fun of it, which is really important,” Rogers said. “ The ability to turn an athlete into a flag football player is something that I’ve been doing my entire career, so I’m gonna continue to take that path here at Union College.”
Rogers explained that a common misconception is that tackle and flag football have significant differences. “ Aside from tackling somebody and pulling the flag, you still have everything that goes along with tackle football in the flag football world. It is a chess match between coaches and players. We’re not playing checkers. We’re thinking three or four moves ahead. It is a sport that requires a really high football IQ.”
This May, current Union women have been able to learn the sport under Coach Rogers, giving them the opportunity to play next spring. Scarlett Gibby ‘27, a running back and corner for the team, was one of those students. “I’m really excited for next season and to be part of the inaugural women’s flag football team at Union! We have a great group of girls and a lot of potential to do well,” Gibby said.
“Practices have been great so far, we have a lot of energy, and it’s a very supportive environment. Also, anyone looking to join can contact our coach or myself at [email protected].”
The 32-member ECAC athletic conference will comprise 4 geographic regions, each with 8 teams. Union will play against the other 7 teams in the region, as well as other teams in the conference, in an anticipated 16-game regular season. The season will conclude with the ECAC tournament at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where the New York Jets and New York Giants play. Union and the other ECAC teams will also have their annual media day at MetLife.
Details on conferences, games, and the Union roster are expected to be announced closer to the beginning of the season.
