Giuliano Moller is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism Student assigned to cover Hamilton High School for AZPreps365.com

A couple of girls on the Hamilton Huskies flag football team had the chance to represent their country in the USA Football league this past summer after being invited to participate in last summer league. 

Current Junior Samaya Taylor-Jenkins, Freshman quarterback Marlie Phillips, and recent graduate CC Maccagnano spent the summer with USA Football representing the red, white and blue in their respective age groups. 

Taylor-Jenkins played for the U17 Jr. national team this past summer helping her team take home the gold back in July at a tournament in California which saw her team finishing 5-0. She also took home another trophy as she earned the tournament MVP after scoring seven touchdowns including two in the championship game against Panama. 

“The benefit is obvious, you're playing against really really high talent,” said Huskies head coach Matt Stone about USA Football’s summer program. 

“In Samaya’s case, as a two way player, for her as a safety especially, to play against some of the best receivers not just in this country but in the world, really helps sharpen her tools and awareness and skills on that side of the ball that she won't see in every high school game.”

Phillips also spent her summer playing in the first year of the U16 select team and also took home the gold with her team finishing going 5-0 throughout the tournament. She will now receive an invite to try out for the national team next summer with her team winning the tournament. 

“It's so much different, you have 40-50 of the best girls across the country on the other teams you face,” said Phillips about the USA Football competition. However this helped sharpen her skills as she learned to be “100% on everything you do.”

The skill level between the two leagues is very different as you have some of the best girls in the country playing in this USA Football tournament through the summer. This really helps the girls sharpen their skills when it comes to playing their high school season again. 

Stone also noted the difference between the two leagues, USA Football and high school, and how, “It's not a perfect translation from one game to another.”

The two leagues, along with many flag football leagues, have some different rules and equipment. In the USA League the field is 30 yards wide opposed to the 40 yard wide field that Hamilton plays on, it is 5v5 opposed to 7v7 in high school, 50 yard field of play with 10 yard endsones, opposed to 100 yard field of play and 10 yard end zones in high school. 

“The different rules do make an impact, especially the field size,” Phillips said. “Something I have to improve on is knowing that[National League] kind of game is better.”

Going into her second year with USA Football this upcoming summer Phillips will have a better understanding of the differences in the two leagues and look to take off even more. With multiple older teams she has a chance to play a few years with the league throughout and even beyond high school.