FLAG FOOTBALL

Unified in play

Flag football aims to grow bonds on and off field

Nate Albin albinnat000@hsestudents.org

12 2 3 S ports calendars all across the nation are highlighted by football. At FHS, however, there are two separate football teams both with the objectives of getting in shape, winning and building relationships. Of course, there is IHSAA football, but there is also Champions Together flag football. The flag footballers get a different sort of opportunity. The sports’s objective is more than just getting the wins. Special needs students and nonspecial needs students play together. “Champions Together combines social and physical aspects,” sophomore Sam Syrus said. “I’ve made a ton of friends while getting in shape at the same time.” For the athletes, it is a different kind of commitment than the IHSAA. Two-a-days are trading for two practices a week. Shoulder pads and helmets do not exist, but instead each player has a belt of flags. They do not clobber the guy from the other team but rather yank off flags. It is more about getting fit and learning to work together. “I like to be able to be active,” senior Evan Barker said. “And I am able to get a chance to get exercise play more sports because of it.” The sport is an easy choice to join for many. Athletes view the sport as a different sort of experience than the IHSAA sports.

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2 “I joined because I have a special place in my heart and a passion for helping those with special needs feel accepted,” sophomore Kaelyn White said. “As an athlete, I have a passion for sports that I want them to play too.” For athletes like White, they feel the same camaraderie from being a part of a school team as they do being a part of a Champions Together. They also gain other benefits they cannot get from IHSAA sports. “To play with this team is just like playing with any other school team,” White said. “I love sharing my love of sports with the special needs kids and seeing them grow.” Socially, the athletes think the impact reaches far off the field; they believe the team builds special bonds that can only be made on the field while playing. “I have gotten a lot because of the unique opportunities, physically and socially, from the playing together,” Syrus said. “I feel it is a great use of my time.” Players know this means more than a game to everyone on the team. Regardless of whether or not they win or lose games to other schools’ programs, these players know they will walk away with more than improved fitness. “I have made lots of friends from it,” Barker said. “It has changed my life.”

Senior forward Lauryn Arnett smiles during warmups in a match against Zionsville on August 28. FHS won 3 -1. Photo by Ella Haan.

Heading to victory Boys, girls soccer face leadership differently

Ben Hamilton hamilben000@hsestudents.org

Team captains for soccer do not only lead their team onto the field but to victory as well. So, when it comes to picking a team captain, the choice can be difficult and there are a lot of ways of going about it, such as voting for or rotating captains. Boys soccer

Boys varsity soccer coach Philip Schmidt does not think that captains should rotate.

“They’ve earned their position,” Schmidt said. “The captains put a lot of work into getting the position so I wouldn’t rotate them.”

According to Schmidt, the varsity captains, senior midfielder Reese May and senior defender Jacob Lawrence, had to write essays as an application. They then read these at a soccer camp and their teammates voted for the applicants they felt should be the team captains.

“Even then it can be a difficult decision,” Schmidt said. “This year we had five applicants and they all would’ve done very well in the position.”

For JV, the newer players can gain important experience from leadership positions.

“JV and Silver tend to be younger and can benefit from the responsibility of team captain and so it does rotate,” Schmidt said. As of September 9, the boys soccer team has a record of 5-2.

In their game against Mt. Vernon on Sept. 16, the girls team is looking to continue their streak of three home wins. The boys are also looking for a win in their game with Brownsburg on Sept.17. Girls soccer

On the girls soccer team, they have a different solution to fair leadership assignments.

“We change captains throughout the season,” girls varsity soccer coach Ben Beasley said. “We have so many great leaders on the team, it wouldn’t be fair to only recognize two.”

Beasley’s solution was to have more than two captains in the season but no more than that at any one time.

“I’m not really rotating them,” Beasley said. “It’s more of a way for players to be recognized for their hard work.”

Hard work is not the only requirement, though they are running 5-0-2 season as of Sept. 9.

“A lot of the time, leadership ability goes unnoticed by players because it’s so common,” Beasley said. “So most of the time, the choice falls on me to pick a captain, but occasionally they’ll recommend a captain.”

The players seem receptive to this as well. At the moment, senior forward Johanna Strueder and senior defender Ellen Stump are the captains, but that may change. According to Strueder, it is pushing the team to do their best and help each other out.

“Captaincy is more of a goal to strive towards than a reward for being good at the game,” Strueder said.

On Aug. 28, senior forward Cameron O’Connor (13), passes to junior midfielder Kevin Natzel (3), while senior defender Jacob Lawrence (18) looks on from the background. FHS beat Guerin Catholic 1-0. Photo by Elissa Mitchell.

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1. During the home game against Zionsville, sophomore Taylor Stone moves to kick the ball (9), while junior Abby Trent (19) covers. FHS beat Zionsville 3-1, on August 28. Photo by Ella Haan. 2. Coming to the defense of freshman forward and midfielder Noah Reinhart (7), junior forward Yuto Nakamae (10) moves in from behind. Victory against Guerin Catholic 1-0, on August 28.