This school year, MCPS has provided girls across the county with a long-wished for opportunity to play football. Introduced to schools as a varsity sport, flag football has provided girls the chance to become pioneers of the sport at their school. Not only do these athletes go down as the inaugural flag football teams, but they do so in style.
MCPS partnered with the Baltimore Ravens and Under Armour to commemorate the players on their historical achievements. Players were broadcast on Fox 5 News and interviewed for an article in The Washington Post. Since flag football is in its first season, MCPS allowed athletes to compete in two high school sports in one season. This rule made it possible for athletes who had previous commitments to a fall sport to be part of the inaugural flag football team. Though playing flag football may seem glamorous and having the chance to participate in another sport simultaneously seems like the best of both worlds, is it really?
As they are making history as inaugural flag football athletes, sophomores Alexa Krauthamer and Malia Bellamy, juniors Maya Bellamy, Jenny Brailovsky, Megan Lomotan, Gabriella Guidorizzi, Liana Usman, Emory Scofield and seniors Tali Rosen and Isabella Astrada-Davis are also making history as the school’s first dual sport athletes. Factors of being a dual sport athlete must be taken into account when determining whether it is as great as it seems. On one hand, the physical and mental exhaustion as well as the numerous hours of practice and games are strenuous for these high school students, but on the other hand it is a chance to play and experience two sports that they love. “I enjoy being a part of two teams, however it is hard to balance two sports teams, school, homework and everything else,” sophomore volleyball player Malia Bellamy said.
Even in its first season, flag football still has the demands of a typical varsity sport with games every week and two-hour practices each day. While this within itself can be a difficult regimen to maintain, adding on the responsibility of another sport takes the time commitments to another level. Add one or two more games and upwards of 90 minute practices for sports like soccer, cheerleading and volleyball. With the workload of school and the hours of practice and or games, being a dual sport athlete is a strenuous task to take on. “I have less time to do homework, and I have three and a half hours of sports each day,” junior soccer player Gabriella Guidorizzi said.
MCPS did take the time commitments into consideration when adopting this new rule for dual sportsmanship; players are restricted to three hours of practice each day and are not allowed to compete in two competitions in one day. Regardless of the rule, to be an asset to each team, it’s often crucial to attend every practice. So more often than not, these restrictions are bypassed by players who want to maintain their position on the team. “I like being a dual athlete because you get to have fun with two different teams but sometimes it gets difficult to put forth your maximum effort for about four hours of practice everyday,” junior cheerleader Jenny Brailovsky said.
Balancing two sports, academics, extracurriculars and maintaining a healthy lifestyle sounds impossible. But these time constraints are just one of the hardships athletes have to overcome. The demand on each athlete’s body also plays a role in the difficulty of being a dual athlete. The requirements of playing two sports in the same season take a toll on the body. Additionally, the stress of performing well, the pressure of intense competitions, and the time crunch for schoolwork is also taxing on mental health. “There are some disadvantages like stress on my mental health and physical health because of the time and effort it takes to succeed in both sports,” junior soccer player Megan Lomotan said.
Even though these factors show a less glamorous side of being a dual athlete, these players say they are still grateful for this opportunity and hope they are able to continue it next year though the future of dual athletics remains uncertain. Athletic director Al Lightsey said that the possibility for athletes to continue being dual sport athletes next season is undecided. “I do want this opportunity for next year because I have made so many bonds throughout both teams and do not want to have to pick,” junior soccer player Maya Bellamy said.
Current dual athletes, despite the challenges it creates, say they hope that this opportunity will remain. Rather than being forced to decide between two sports, being a dual athlete allows for double the new friendships, learning experiences and possibilities at school. Even with the hardships, these athletes say it truly is the best of both worlds, being able to play two sports they love and not being forced to choose.
