By Angela Higginbotham
angela@floridanewsline.com

NFL cities across the country will each be sending a flag football team to represent their franchise as part of the events leading up to the 2017 Pro Bowl. Tournament games for the young flag football standouts will start on Jan. 27 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports at Disney and the festivities will come to an end on Jan. 29 when the NFL teams take the field at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. The top two flag football teams will appear on the ESPN halftime show.

Volunteer coaches Marla Rosin-Borrousch and Moses Evans, along with a representative from the Jacksonville Jaguars, carefully conducted tryouts and ended with a talented team of 10 boys who are considered all-stars.

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“The boys are in a 13 and 14 year old age division. Four of the boys are from the Northside, two are from the Beaches and the remaining four boys are all from St. Johns County. We are all very excited and we are working hard to represent the Jaguars well,” Rosin-Borrousch said.

The Jacksonville Jaguar organization will fund a majority of the trip for the coaches and players. The Jaguar organization is also playing a role in motivating the kids and encouraging team work.

“I’ve been coaching flag football for seven years with my own two sons. It took a few practices with this team, but the boys are starting to come together and enjoy each other, both on and off the field. Seeing these kids happy and excited is why I do what I do,” Rosin-Borrousch said.

The team is diligent in their practice schedule and spirits are high. Although to everyone else the team name is the Jaguars, the boys call themselves the “Giant Killers.” They meet for two or even three hours, three times per week.

“We practice conditioning and learning the plays. I try to just teach them how to be better, so that they improve and take away as much as possible from this experience. These are good kids, very respectful and high achievers. Our biggest challenge right now is finding a lighted field that we can practice on after dark,” Rosin-Borrousch said.

When the Pro Bowl comes to an end, the fun will continue for the talented team as they enjoy a day at Walt Disney World, another first for several of the children.

 

Photo courtesy Marla Rosin-Borrousch

The 2017 Jacksonville Jaguar Pro Bowl flag football team.

 

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