Football and flag football athletes from across the Valley recently gathered at Dave & Buster’s for a football and flag media day hosted by Mesa Public Schools. The event, which brought together student-athletes from schools throughout the area, gave participants the opportunity to talk about their teams, their experiences, and what makes their programs special.
Queen Creek Unified School District (QCUSD) was well represented, with athletes from all three of the district’s high schools – Queen Creek High School (QCHS), Crismon High School, and Eastmark High School participating in the event. Students were interviewed by Sports 360AZ about their teams, their goals for the upcoming season, and the experiences that have shaped them as athletes.
For Queen Creek High School athletes, one theme stood out: the strength of the team and the bond between teammates.
“The toughness that we have and the bond,” one QCHS football player shared when asked why he chose Queen Creek. “I feel like our school has a special family bond. We all love each other, we all hang out, and we have that toughness together.”
For athletes, the value of being part of a team goes far beyond Friday night competition. QCHS students spoke about how football and flag football have helped them develop discipline, adaptability, teamwork, and character, all skills that they will carry with them into college and beyond.
“I feel like it’s made me better as a person,” one football player said. “It’s made me more disciplined. In general, I’m just a better person. It builds your character.”
The athletes are also excited to put their hard work into action. As one QCHS player put it, “We’ve been working so hard for this, and now we finally get to put that to use, play on Friday nights and have fun.”
The football and flag media day gave student-athletes from across the Valley a chance to showcase what their programs are all about. For QCUSD’s athletes, it was also an opportunity to represent their schools and highlight the dedication, teamwork and Bulldog pride that make their athletics programs special.