Rising above: UTM Eagles Flag Football’s Championship Quest
This year’s team has standout players, strategic prowess, and a collective confidence that sets them apart in the pursuit of glory.
The UTM Eagles Flag Football team is heading to the playoffs for this season and the team is looking better than ever. The team is slated to play in the semi-finals on November 19, with the hopes of making it to the finals, scheduled for November 26.
Last year, the UTM Eagles Flag Football team made history, getting the Eagles their first-ever Flag Football victory, and getting all the way to the finals. This year, the team looks to further solidify itself in UTM history, with the hopes of becoming UTM’s first Flag Football team to bring home the championship trophy.
Wide receiver and Masters of Biotechnology student Ahmad Kubbar said, “Our commitment, motivation, and dedication to the team and the sport distinguishes us from our competition.” Kubbar went on to describe how the Eagles’ access to resources keeps them “a step ahead” of the competition. The Eagles hope to use this commitment, motivation and dedication to transcend them to the top and grow as a team.
These attributes fuel both their preparation in practice and their plays in-game, promising to set them apart and elevate their performance to new heights. Their competition feels the Eagles’ formidable presence on the field, while their persistence, growth, and development on and off the field has pushed them beyond their competition this season.
With any team, there will always be a few standouts. According to Sanjot Sani, wide receiver and fourth-year criminology and religion student, the team MVP for this year is Luis Basa. Sani describes Luis’s play as exceptional: “As our star defensive back, he has accumulated numerous interceptions and has consistently performed at a high level.” Sani believes Luis lends confidence to the Eagles’ defensive lineup and recognizes weaknesses in the opposing teams’ offence, allowing the Eagles to match up against them in the best way possible.
As shown in Luis, the team’s commitment to defence and neutralizing opposing teams’ offence has given the Eagles an advantage multiple times this season. With the dynamic nature of the game, adapting to opposing teams’ offence and offensive strategies is paramount to the Eagles’ success this season.
Heading into the playoffs, the Eagles are poised, prepared, and confident. This energy is felt throughout the lineup, in both players and coaching staff. Liam Thiru, defensive back and CCIT student in his final year, is very confident in his team: “We have all the tools to win, and our coaches have trained us to have an advantage over the competition.”
To bring home the championship, confidence is crucial, and that’s something the Eagles have in abundance this year. The Eagles look forward to the playoffs and the opportunity to bring home UTM’s first-ever flag football championship. In their pursuit of touchdowns and victories, the Eagles are here to compete, win, and make history as they enter this season’s playoffs.
Sports & Health Editor (Volume 50); Locked on Leafs Columnist (Volume 48 & 49) — Omar is in his final year at UTM, working towards completing a major in CCIT and double minors in Political Science and Anthropology. Omar loves to keep up with various sports teams, his favourite being the Toronto Maple Leafs. When he isn’t stressing over exams or the Leafs, you can find him watching movies, looking at shoes he can only hope to afford, and trying his best to avoid parking tickets on campus.