A milestone season for girls' flag football
The third season of the Saints Girls High School Flag Football league has become a vivid illustration of how sport can bridge communities, promote inclusion and celebrate diversity across the Gulf Coast. With sixty schools from Louisiana and forty‑four from Mississippi taking the field, the program reaches more than a hundred young athletes who otherwise might not have a platform to compete.
Among them, Londyn Etheridge of Patrick Taylor High School emerged as a standout playmaker, capping her debut season with a decisive touchdown that secured a 6‑0 win over Walter L. Cohen. Her performance earned her the inaugural New Orleans Saints and Ochsner Andrews Sports Medicine Institute Player of the Week honor, a recognition that highlights both skill and the spirit of the league.
Coach Jasmine Christmas of Ben Franklin High School also received accolades, being named the New Orleans Saints Coach of the Week after guiding her squad to a 2‑0 start. In her second year at the helm, Christmas has already fostered a competitive yet supportive environment, a testament to the league’s emphasis on mentorship as well as athletics.
The partnership with the New Orleans Saints and the Ochsner Andrews Sports Medicine Institute underscores the growing investment in girls’ sports, providing medical oversight and national visibility that elevate the participants beyond the field. As the season progresses, the combined efforts of schools, sponsors and community leaders promise to keep expanding the reach of flag football across the region.