North Bay High School’s new girls flag soccer team sees a growing sports trend

SAN RAFAEL, California. – North Bay High School is starting a girls’ flag soccer team, and in just a few months, nearly 40 students have taken up the sport.

Now the team is looking to the community to meet the high demand and keep it afloat.

For the first time, men’s and women’s soccer will be played in Los Angeles at the 2028 U.S. Olympic Games, and it’s now a growing trend in Bay Area high schools.

At San Rafael High School, there was so much demand for a girls’ flag soccer team at the beginning of the school year that nearly 40 girls signed up to play.

“We started working with the district and the administration so we could get funding and just put everything together and it magically happened at the beginning of the year,” said senior Larissa “Shorty” Anavisea Baltazar.

Teacher and coach Shannon McClure said local artists and businesses helped the new team obtain balls, design uniforms and provide flags.

“Everything was a really uphill battle for us as a team. We had to fight for everything and just work to get what we needed,” McClure said.

Since August, the girls have played 12 games across the Bay Area.

“We haven’t won a game yet, but every time we come out we get better,” McClure said.

Freshmen and seniors alike, the team is a family.

“Age-wise, I would say we are close,” junior Brisa Briseno said.

The Bulldogs followed in the footsteps of the pioneering Terra Linda All-City Trojans, who became the first in the school district to make a girls’ team last year.

Their head coach, Roy Leon, said the number of players has increased from 14 to 33 this season.

“Football is not stupid for girls. It’s just an alternative for us, just because we can’t play with the other gender – it’s for everyone,” Baltazar said.

For McClure, who played while she was in school, it’s about empowering young women.

“Girls help girls be empowered,” McClure said. “Raising strong girls and strong women is something I believe in.”

As the sport grows, McClure said she plans to create a junior varsity and varsity team.

The team is three games away from finishing the season, but is still looking for funds to play next week. The team is raising money for GoFundMe.