First-Year Lessons in Girls Flag Football with Coach Kelley Palfrey

First-Year Lessons in Girls Flag Football with Coach Kelley Palfrey

In this episode of She Plays Flag, I sit down with Kelley Palfrey, assistant girls flag coach at East Paulding High School. As a first-year coach in the sport, Kelley shares what it was like stepping into girls flag football, organizing tryouts, building team culture, and learning the game alongside her players. The conversation dives into player-led learning, early program challenges, developing confidence in female athletes, and how new coaches can approach the sport without needing years of flag experience beforehand. This episode is a great listen for: *  new girls flag football coaches  *  athletic directors considering starting programs  *  coaches transitioning from other sports  *  anyone interested in the growth of girls flag football  Topics include: *  building a first-year program  *  conditioning and tryout structure  *  culture development  *  coaching while learning  *  empowering athletes  *  teaching beginners

How Brandon Harwell Built Blessed Trinity into a Georgia Flag Football Power

Coach Brandon Harwell of Blessed Trinity joins the She Plays Flag Podcast to talk about building one of Georgia’s top girls flag football programs and the coaching philosophy behind sustained success. Coach Harwell shares his journey from coaching baseball and freshman tackle football into girls flag football, how coaching every position shaped the way he teaches the game, and why communication, efficiency, and adaptability matter so much in a growing sport. We also discuss: *  Building culture in a championship-level program  *  Coaching female athletes  *  Managing small coaching staffs  *  Translating tackle football concepts into flag football  *  Multi-sport athlete development  *  Practice organization and efficiency  *  The rapid growth of girls flag football in Georgia  *  Lessons learned from coaching multiple sports  *  Creating buy-in and accountability  This episode is packed with insight from one of the most respected coaches in the Georgia flag football community.

Building a Girls Flag Football Program: Culture, Practice & Reality | Jordan Davis

What does it actually take to build a successful girls flag football program? In this episode of She Plays Flag, I sit down with Jordan Davis, Head Coach Girls at Allatoona HS in Georgia, to break down the realities of coaching, building culture, and running a program from the ground up. Jordan shares his journey from multi-sport coaching into girls flag football, including how early experiences coaching his own kids shaped his understanding of the game and its unique strategy. The conversation dives into: *  What a strong program culture looks like  *  The gap between “ideal” programs and real-world challenges  *  How to structure practices and manage game day  *  Coaching philosophy vs. execution  *  Lessons learned from coaching multiple sports  This episode is especially valuable for: *  New coaches entering girls flag football  *  Programs trying to build consistency and accountability  *  Anyone looking to understand how successful teams are actually run  As girls flag football continues to grow across the country, conversations like this highlight what it takes behind the scenes to build something sustainable.

Coaching Female Athletes in a Growing Game with Kelly Bendall - Milton HS, Alpharetta GA

In this episode of the She Plays Flag Podcast, I sit down with Kelly Bendall, assistant girls flag coach at Milton High School in Alpharetta, Georgia. Kelly didn’t come into flag football with a background in the sport. She came in as a coach. With years of experience in soccer and a deep understanding of how to lead and connect with female athletes, she stepped into a brand new game, learned it in real time, and helped build one of the most respected programs in the state. This episode focuses on what matters when you’re starting out in flag football: * How to coach when you don’t know the sport yet * Why relationships come before schemes * How girls teams build culture differently * What new coaches should focus on first * Why female coaches are essential in this space * What the growth of college flag football means for today’s players Kelly shares incredible insights into coaching female athletes and leaves us with a clear message: You don’t need to be an expert in flag football to get started. You need to be willing to step inside the fence.

Dakota Hughes: Leadership, Resilience, and the Rise of Girls Flag Football

Dakota Hughes has lived nearly every chapter of the women’s flag football story. From a childhood spent throwing the football in the backyard to becoming the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Steam, Dakota’s path eventually led her into coaching and developing the next generation of players. In this episode, she shares the lessons she learned stepping into leadership at a young age, why adversity and failure are essential parts of growth, and how sports can shape confidence, resilience, and character. Dakota also discusses the rapid rise of girls flag football and the responsibility coaches carry to lead athletes not just on the field, but in life. This episode gives us a look at the mindset, leadership, and purpose that continue to shape the game as it grows.