In its inaugural season, the IC Catholic Prep girls flag football team went 3-11 overall.
The Knights lost to Niles North in the Chicago Academy regional quarterfinals in their first-ever foray into the IHSA postseason.
But ICCP coach Sean McMillen said there is a different story to be told than one of a 3-11 girls flag football team.
“It’s a different side of our season that can sometimes get lost when the focus is simply on wins and losses,” he said. “For me, the most important story is what these young ladies accomplished by being the first, the adversity they faced throughout the season, and the perseverance they showed by continuing to represent ICCP with pride through it all.”
McMillen said success for the Knights was never defined by wins and losses. “It was defined by perseverance, commitment and pride these young ladies showed from the first practice through the final game,” he said. “As a first-year program, our learning curve was significant. We entered a new sport without really knowing what to expect or even the best path for building a successful program. Looking back, maybe we should have eased into the competition by playing at the JV level first or schedule more programs that were at a similar stage of development. We were learning the game, the rules, the strategies and how to compete at the varsity level all at the same time. There are certainly things we would do differently knowing what we know today, but hindsight is always 20-20.”
McMillen added that is also what makes him so proud of his team.
“These young ladies were willing to be the first,” he said. “They were willing to represent ICCP and start something that had never existed at our school before. They walked into the unknown with a small roster, learned a completely new sport, competed against established programs and continued showing up regardless of what came their way. They looked adversity directly in the face and basically said, ‘I represent ICCP. I am a Knight. We’ve got this.’”
McMillen said as a coach, watching the Knight athletes grow and develop was an amazing experience.
“Of course, I wanted them to become better flag football players, but what I am most proud of are the lessons they learned about perseverance, commitment, teamwork, leadership and believing in one another,” he said. “Those lessons will stay with them long after they leave the football field. Years from now, when ICCP girls flag football has grown and future teams are competing for championships, these young women will always be able to say, ‘We were the first.’ Nobody can ever take that away from them.”
McMillen said the next step is to build on what was started.
“With the experience our returning players gained this season and new classes of athletes coming into the program, I am extremely confident about the future of ICCP girls flag football,” he said. “I could not be more proud of this team and what they accomplished in our first season.”
