Danielle White, a senior flag football athlete at Florida High, is making a big impact this season by leading the field with versatility, determination and team bonding.
“I first got involved with flag football from watching my two older sisters play. I was hesitant about playing at first and actually did track my sixth-grade year instead of flag football, because I did not think it was the sport for me. Not to mention, I could not catch the ball,” White said. “After seeing how fun it looked at my sisters’ games, I decided to try it for myself and soon enough fell in love with it.”
As White’s confidence grew through playing the game, so did her part in the team, both on the field and off the field, becoming a leader and forming strong connections with her teammates.
“She’s a role model, at least for me, because of how skilled she is and how level-headed she is. She never lets the game get to her. Sometimes I go through and ask her about plays, and she’s really helpful about that,” senior flag football athlete Zaniya Brown said.
White plays various positions from quarterback to linebacker. Since she joined, she has become a very valuable asset to her team. As her high school career is coming to an end, flag football will remain an important part of her life.
“Danielle can do whatever she wants in flag. I have coached girls who have made the Olympic team, who have become head coaches at a college and who have played on scholarship at the college level. Danielle is fully capable of doing all of that and more if she wants to,” flag football coach Sam Brown said.
Photo courtesy of Danielle White.
From being hesitant about joining the team in sixth grade to being a role model as a senior, White has advanced far in her flag football career. It is clear that her future is bright, and flag football could be at the center.
“I hope to continue playing flag football in college, whether it is competitively or in a club,” White said. “I find it cool to think I might be on the same team of people I once played against or continue to play against if they also pursue flag football in college. Either way, I think it would be a great extracurricular activity to have throughout my college life.”
