Miami High’s flag football team is well known in the district because they have dominated the sport in Miami Dade since it was first introduced back in 2018. So, what better time to show off their skills than Super Bowl Week? On January 31^st The Lady Stings were invited with 3 other local teams to the NFL Super Bowl Experience held at Miami Beach Convention Center.

After a warmup in the skills event, it came time to play a real game. The 60-yard field exhibited at the convention center was ready to host the Nike Girls Combine. The energy was already high with a sizeable crowd and a handful of Kansas City cheerleaders showing their support on the sidelines, yet the ceiling seemed to explode when Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and his wife Ciara, also an accomplished athlete, ran onto the field. There wasn’t a shortage of screams, videos, and pictures from the teams. The Lady Stings huddled around Wilson and Ciara as they expressed their passion for women’s sports and highlighted the importance of dreaming big.

Just when everyone thought things couldn’t better, it was announced that Wilson was going from player to coach and would lead none other than the Lady Stings in the semifinal game against Central High School. Miami High standout, Colleen Bucknor, a UCF commit for basketball, scored twice making sure the Stings won, 19-0. She said, “Russell Wilson out there pumping us up really got us all fired up, and it’s so cool that he took the time to do that.”

The championship against Krop High School was exhilarating. The Lady Stings were on their own, yet they did as they always have. With 1:40 left in the game and the score board displaying 6-6, Bucknor caught the winning touchdown pass from Jaynah Rodriguez, giving them the 12-6 win.

This opportunity was sponsored by Nike and the Miami Dolphins.  Before the game, they conversed with New England Patriots 3-time Super Bowl Champion Willie McGinest about life challenges and perseverance. Plus, Lance Bennet, special assistant to Dolphins coach Brian Flores, gave his own encouraging words during the seminar.