HHS is the fourth FUHSD school to add flag football after it became a state-sanctioned sport in 2023, Nurnberg said. The sport could not be added last year because field renovations placed significant pressure on the practice schedules of existing sports, Nurnberg said.

“We ran a survey and got a lot of interest,” Nurnberg said. “A number of kids have been practicing all year and have been really enjoying the process of learning the game.”

To prepare for tryouts, preseason practices were held over the summer, where prospective players conditioned, learned drills and studied strategy, junior Dulce Sotelo said. 

“Before joining, I didn’t know my starting stance,” Sotelo said. “With the summer [training], we practiced drills and the routes we did. I always tried my best to perfect them and perfect my stance, so they really helped.”

Twenty-eight girls came to tryouts, with most having attended summer practices. After running defensive and offensive situations, Chan said he categorized players’ athleticism and speed to place them in optimal positions.

The team has a packed schedule until October, so Chan said he is prioritizing teaching players to execute at their highest ability.

“My goal is to make sure that girls feel comfortable being able to produce a higher skill set by not only knowledge, but also via their own athletic abilities,” Chan said. “That [is done] through drills, practices, game situations, as well as giving them the open opportunity to learn as much as they can.”

Simultaneously, the new team is working hard to garner support and interest from the school community, Chan said. 

“We have an Instagram page that we’re trying to grow and promote because it’s part of trying to get people more aware of [our team],” Chan said. “We try to highlight different things like workouts and practices. Eventually, we’ll have games, scores and players to highlight.”

Over the season’s course, Chan said he wants to create a strong foundation of players who can build the team for success in the future. 

“I’m looking for students that are not only just motivated to learn, but are passionately creating the best version of themselves as an athlete and as a student,” Chan said. “My goal is to set the foundation of being able to learn key attributes of responsibility, integrity and hard work that are crucial for the future.”