Palmetto High School girls' flag football team hunting for 2nd-consecutive state title
"If we did it before, there's nothing stopping us from doing it again," said senior Serenity Simon.
"Our motto this year is we're back on the prowl," added head coach Kevin Mujica. "Trying to set that standard of everything we do, we want to compete at a high level. We don't want to be complacent with anything."
A mixture of returners and transfers, the Lady Panthers know they've got a target on their back now but they consider the pressure a privilege.
"Playing with that pressure, I think it's fun," said senior Ash Alvarado. "I like being under pressure."
A pressure that's already doubled the number of girls planning to play flag football at the collegiate level next year.
"Knowing that I could go and pursue the sport that I love so much for 4 more years and get my degree while I'm at it, is just another amazing experience and an amazing feeling," Alvarado said.
They aren't stopping there though: Palmetto's players helping grow the game to levels much bigger from they ever imagined.
That's senior Serenity Simon, an NFL Flag Player of the Year finalist, who landed a spot in a Super Bowl commercial shortly after playing in the Army Bowl.
"The 12-year-old version of me who just had started flag would've never even imagined that I would be in a Super Bowl commercial," Simon said.
"Out of the corner of my eye, I'm like wait - is that Serenity? Right next to Ki'Lolo and all these other flag stars and I was like no way!" Alvarado said.
It wasn't the only Super Bowl commercial that had people talking though: Nike's "You can't win. So win." spot drawing in eyes.
"It just showed off how us women have to not only support each other and people from the outside, especially on social media, etc. are always bashing and always complaining and it's like yeah, you can complain but at the end of the day, if we can't win and show that we're a part of the sports community, it doesn't matter," said senior Ava Alvarez.
A reminder of how far women in sports have come and the endless road of opportunities we have ahead.
"Some would say 'Oh yeah, you're kind of making little landmarks in history' but it doesn't feel like that," said Dani Canals. "Honestly it just feels like having a love for a game and playing on the field with your friends. It feels very home, very humble. It doesn't feel [like] anything too crazy until you look back and realize what you've actually done."
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