Columbus flag football team won a title on the field, but there was victory in the stands, too

I’ve heard rock stars and professional athletes speak in interviews about how cool it is to hear a stadium full of fans screaming their names. I bet it’s surreal. Lord knows I’ll never experience anything like that in my simple life. If someone has ever yelled my name at all, it was probably my momma when I tried to cover up spilled grape Kool-Aid on the living room carpet or my dad when he discovered I used up his spray paint so Carrie Baumgard and I could host a make-believe circus. So, no, I’ll never feel the thrill of a stadium full of screaming fans.

Probably every promising artist or talented athlete dreams of selling out a stadium. Can you imagine? Thousands of people gathered in one place because that’s where you are? Whoa, I can’t even fathom being that important or captivating. Like I said, I spill grape Kool-Aid and host fake circuses.

But the girls flag football team at Columbus High is that important and that captivating. And they certainly have a life moment to write about in their journals and remember for the rest of their lives.

So, maybe the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta wasn’t filled to capacity last week, but it certainly was filled to overflowing with Blue Devil pride. That’s because the student body understood the impact of what a collection of girls were doing for all female athletes in Georgia. As pioneers in this newly sanctioned sport, their classmates were forging into new territory and had a real good chance to come back to Columbus with an extra special trophy. So, they piled into five buses and loudly filled almost 250 seats at the Falcons stadium. That’s enough roaring fans to make an impact.

And they did.

Columbus High is no stranger to making an impact. The school is well recognized in Georgia, towering over some of the most elite academic schools in the entire state. No other school seems able to compete with the Blue Devils academically.

But the sports aren’t too shabby over there on Cherokee Avenue either. When an obscure sport like flag football was introduced to Muscogee County, the Columbus High girls embraced it with the same fervor they embrace their studies. These girls were relentless on the field and certainly lived up to the reputation of Columbus High – pure excellence.

No wonder Columbus High students feel an overwhelming sense of pride when they don their school colors. But five buses? A 250-strong student section? A two hour trip to Atlanta?

Of course. Because when the students of Columbus High do something, they do it with excellence – even when it involves supporting its brand new girls flag football team.

Of course, the media covered details of the season, the game and the huge win. There have been articles and news reels devoted to the newest addition to the Blue Devil’s athletic program. Perhaps a small detail was left out of all the reports: 250 kids. For me and all the Kook-Aid spillers out there, playing in front of so many of my biggest supporters would be a dream come true, a once in a lifetime experience.

It’s impressively inspiring, really. Not because the game was held at the Falcons stadium or because this was the team’s first season or even because they brought home a state title. I think this particular flag football game is inspiring because it portrayed what true community is.

If schools are considered a slice of society, then we could learn a few pointers from the kids over at Columbus High. We should rally around the underdog and uplift those in the midst of the battle. We may have to make a few sacrifices along the way, but we should still come together when it really matters. And when someone needs a cheerleader, we should cheer — loudly and proudly. That’s how we should be for each other.

I wish I had been there to see the Blue Devils cheer on their team to its first state title. Spirit like that is why I became a high school teacher. There simply is nothing sweeter than a dose of school spirit.

So, a huge congratulations to the Blue Devil girls flag football team. You made history. And to the 250 kids who watched it happen, people noticed you were there, too.

Sheryl Green is a secondary educator in Columbus. Eemail her at sherylgreen14@yahoo.com.