Reinhardt University has 1st home women’s flag football game

WALESKA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Huge athletic achievements are happening at a tiny Georgia school.

Reinhard University, a small, private university just had its first home women’s flag football game in team history Saturday. That historic accomplishment isn’t lost on Head Coach Toni Fuller.

“We’re making history. We don’t take it lightly,” Fuller said. “I think when you’re making history, you do decide that it’s gonna be a show. Whether it’s a win or a W, you’re gonna get out there and play with some heart. And so these girls are learning what heart looks like.”

Reinhardt lost to St. Thomas University 49-0 but the game was about so much more. It was the first step in a long journey.

“We’re not gonna bond right away, right? So we’re gonna get our butts kicked a couple of times to know how to actually play and get right,” Victoria Salmon said.

“We can’t control the score at this point, but we can grow as a team. We can learn from it,” said Caroine Small. “We’ve got so much left to prove and I don’t think this describes who we are as a team. We’re gonna get through it.”

This year’s team’s entire roster consists of freshman players, so a learning curve is necessary. The players feel strongly that eventually, things will head in the right direction.

“We’re just trying to all be on the same page. Love on each other, meet each other for the first time. Play a game for the first time and actually now be successful at putting it all together,” Fuller said.

Many players thought after high school that their flag football careers were over, but Reinhardt has given many of them a second chance and they are thankful for that.

“I thought [the high school championships in Las Vegas were] my last game ever. And then my coach offered me and I was like ‘yeah, I love to play.” Because I don’t want to stop,” Salmon said.

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