For the first ever time, the NFL’s Pro Bowl Games will hold a Girls Flag Football Showcase, where 30 athletes from the top 25 high schools in the nation, ranked by USA Today, will play a showcase match at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Two out of the 30 players chosen to play at the showcase will be Creek athletes, senior center Sophia Baal (#14) and senior defensive linebacker Ashley Sands (#10).
The match will be broadcasted live nationally on ESPN at 11 a.m. MST as part of the pregame show for the Pro Bowl Games.
Although Creek is ranked 13th nationally and 2nd in Colorado, the news regarding the showcase still came as a stock for the players. “I was honestly surprised,” Sands said. “I never expected such a cool opportunity, but I was so excited.”
Sands was ranked fourth in the state for tackles this season and was named to the all state second team for defense. As for Baal, she was named first team in the All Centennial League for both offense and defense.
“This previous season was amazing,” head coach David Knoeckel said. “we had talent and the [team] couldn’t have had any more fun, and we all just had a blast,”
Beyond just flag football, Baal and Sands have also played varsity basketball for the last four years. Once flag football became an official sport at Creek, the two were also able to play together not just on the court but on the field as well.
Over their time together, the pair have created a strong bond, and rely on each other as teammates and friends. “Sophia has been the best teammate and friend the last few years and I couldn’t do it without her,” Sands said.
Playing two sports together not only helped them to get closer to each other, but also helped them be even better at each sport they play.
“[Playing two sports] just keeps you conditioned,” Knoeckel said. “Not in the sense of you can keep running, but in the sense that your body’s healthy and you know your body’s capable of doing a bunch of different movements.”
While being able to play in the showcase is already a very special experience for Baal and Sands, being able to have a teammate and a friend to go along with in this makes it feel even more special. “Ashley and I are great friends both on and off the field so it’s incredible that we get to have this great experience together,” Baal said.
