WESTGATE, La. —History has arrived in the 337.
The Westgate High School girls flag football team is breaking new ground as the first team in the area to compete in Louisiana’s inaugural high school flag football season a program launched in partnership with the New Orleans Saints and the NFL, with expansion efforts reaching neighboring states like Mississippi.
For senior wide receiver Stevenisha Jones, the opportunity carries added meaning.
“I feel like for me as a senior, when it comes to responsibilities as like guiding the squad, I don’t want to say leading, but guiding,” Jones said. “Because this is my first and last year, so I do want to be involved as much as I can, and I want to help out.”
In a season filled with firsts, Jones has embraced a role focused on unity and inclusion as the team learns the game together.
“This is not just my first experience, this is everybody’s first experience,” she said. “So I want to make sure everybody has equal opportunities. Everybody feels the same… I want to make sure that everybody feels like they have a role or a part to play in the team.”
The significance of Westgate’s program extends beyond the field. As the school’s first girls flag football team, it represents a step forward for both women’s sports and the continued growth of flag football nationwide, especially with the sport set to debut in the 2028 Olympics.
“That’s a big step forward towards the future,” Jones said. “I feel like everyone has those goals in mind… and it’s really starting to become real for some of the kids.”
For Jones, the inaugural season is only the beginning.
“We’re going to take this as far as we can,” she said. “I do have plans to do flag football in the future… we’ve got to go all out from the start. We can’t slack. We have to be on time, we have to be on point.”
As Westgate takes the field, the team isn’t just competing it’s helping shape the future of the sport in Louisiana.
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