The day began bright and early. We arose from our slumbers and traveled to Westfield High School in order to meet the girls flag football team bus by 8:30 a.m. After a quick pit stop at Bagel Chateau, Hi’s Eye Sports’ finest four journalists were ready to embark on a fantastic day with the Blue Devils. Our bus did not leave promptly. Instead it was a relaxed start to the day as we waited for some of the team’s sleepier players to arrive. After the distribution of some Pirate’s Booty and ribbons for the girls’ (and journalists’) hair, the bus was ready to leave, and the fun commenced.
The bus ride to the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center was filled with overflowing excitement and anticipation of what was to come (although the music choices were subpar). After only 30 minutes, the bus arrived, and our day had officially begun. We were met by a crew of the New York Jets’ finest—not players, but staff ready to greet and direct us and the team into our designated area. Walking in, one could see the entirety of the training facility’s outdoor resources, including the brand new grass fields that we can only assume were built for the man himself, Aaron Rodgers. Although tempted by the new grass gridiron, we were barred from access due to a sign and a stern warning: “Stay off the grass.”
The girls began to stretch and warm up for their game, so the Hi’s Eye Sports team, as well as a few Blue Devil Television stars, played in a little game of their own. Despite the semi-formal attire, khaki pants and polos, if Joe Douglas were to walk outside, all he would have seen was the flag football team on one side and some potential first-round draft picks on the other as we ran our own routes and called our own plays. The usual suspects of Drew Kornfeld and Henry Hipschman immediately made their mark on the game, with Kornfeld hauling in two touchdowns and Hipschman throwing two. Connor Loggie and Lucas Hubner, shining in coverage, forced several incompletions along with a pair of interceptions.
As Elizabeth took its sweet time to arrive at the field, we enjoyed every amenity offered to us, including enjoying an aerial view of the field from the facility’s second-level balcony. We took various laps around our designated area, offering us the chance to get a glimpse of the Jets’ new draft class practicing—not football, but yoga. We were even granted the chance to have a discussion with Elijah Hodges, the Jets’s Senior Manager of Community Relations and Youth Football, as he explained to us the Jets’s role in the vast expansion of girls flag football.
“This is, without a doubt, the most rewarding program to be a part of,” said Hodges. “It’s awesome. It’s something that we just sort of had the idea of doing a few years back. Started with eight teams and, in just two years, we’re supporting over 110 teams. It really has been a great program that everyone really jumped on board. We’ve been able to see schools [and communities] rally around the girls. Just seeing the opportunities that are opening up for these young women and to see them really grow and love the game and find a new game that’s their own… It’s really cool to see.”
Eventually the game began, and we took our places on the Westfield sideline. Bystanders to what was happening on the field, we could offer little but our presence and our cheers, as well as some advice to the coaches and even to someone who worked for the Jets (look out for a new play: The Westfield Special). Though much of that advice was not taken, we were constantly engaged in conversation with a couple of the coaches, our very own school resource officer Nick Calello and girls basketball state championship-winning coach Liz McKeon. Never before have we had the experience to talk to coaches on the sideline, despite any nuisance we may have been to them. Despite any distraction we were, we would like to assume that, overall, they valued our limited discussions and many jokes.
Not only could we talk to coaches, but players as well. Talking with many of the players, we came to understand every perspective of the game. We even heard the level of vulgarity of language that accompanies such an intense sport, words said that cannot be repeated in this, or any, article. But even with the few hot mics, the general consensus was that the experience was one that could not be replicated.
“It was an awesome experience, probably once in a lifetime,” quarterback Cara Van Allen said. “It was just super fun to be out here at a super nice facility and most importantly to be able to get a win.
At halftime, the staff once more tossed around the pigskin and even heard the refs’ perspective on the event as a whole. One of the two refs, who shall remain nameless, retired the night before and said, “I think I had two too many last night,” accompanying his statement with a smile. After congratulating him on a storied career, the staff ventured to the other ref, who happened to be a tad bit less revealing, as he shared some insight on his perspective of the event.
“The experience was amazing,” said head referee Anthony Migliore. “The girls were fantastic athletes. We adapted and we did not want to get in the way. We just wanted to keep the flow in the game. We weren’t calling ticky tack stuff, just letting the girls do their thing, which is shine.”
Eventually the game had come to an end with a 34-7 Westfield win, and we were forced to leave. Trust us, we tried to stay. But the field was apparently being used after us by “more important people.” Some cheesehead from Wisconsin wanted to show off his old arm to his new team. We did leave, but not after taking a few dozen pictures, including one with our new and quiet friend Dave, who happens to be a tackling dummy.
All that was left was the bus ride home. After a win, we expected the girls to be extremely excited and blasting music as they did on the way there. To our surprise, the girls were a bit tired after the walloping they put on the Minutemen, so the gentlemen in the front of the bus needed to bring the energy. With receiver Annie Ryan on the aux, and Kornfeld spewing out song requests, the boring bus ride had turned into a full-on party, at least for us. It was only after our perfect rendition of “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” that we realized that, although there is no such thing as a perfect day, Sunday was pretty damn close.
The bus soon parked, and before being let off, head coach Matt Andzel reminded the team that, in the words of the late Kobe Bryant, “Job’s not finished.” The Blue Devils took this message to heart, as they looked ready to roll Hillside this Wednesday and any other team that gets in their path on the way to the state championship at Metlife Stadium.
