Kicking Off Our Women’s+ 2023 Season | |
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Our Women's+ Season is officially underway and now ready to hit the fields! It was great to see returning players and new players come together this week for our Season Opening Party at Revival! We hope you all had a great time!
This season, we're excited to welcome nearly 90 players. We have six teams, led by a tremendous group of captains. We hope you all have a great season and can't wait to see you at the fields this weekend!
Saturday's forecast does call for rain, so please check our Facebook group, website, and your inbox for any announcements about game cancellations. If there's no announcement, it means games are on as scheduled!
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Welcome to the Women's+ Division Summer 2023 Season!!
Date: Saturday, May 20th & Tuesday, May 23rd
Location: Our fields for all our season games are located at North Country Club Field in Warwick (210 Monroe St., Warwick, RI 02888). Join us afterwards at Grid Iron Ale House & Grille (1599 Post Rd, Warwick, RI 02888) for food, drinks, and league social.
Reminders: Please bring plenty of water, dress accordingly for weather, and remember that everyone will need to wear pocketless shorts and non-metal spike cleats to participate. You will not be allowed to play with pocketed shorts/pants or metal cleats.
Please be sure to arrive 15-30 minutes before your game (unless your captains ask you to arrive even earlier) to ensure you have time to stretch and warm up.
Take a few minutes to review our Code of Conduct as well as other important league policies.
Week 1: Game Schedule
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The most up to date schedule is available on our website and the SportsEngine app (iOS or Google). Check out all our teams including full rosters and current standings on our website. | |
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Welcome to the first week of games! I want to re-introduce our Health and Safety Committee (HSC) for the benefit of folks who did not play in the Spring Open Division.
This year, PVDGFFL formed a Health and Safety Committee in order to better support our players. The goal of the Committee is to connect players, athletic supporters, and our community to wellness resources in order to enhance health and wellbeing. We do this by sharing information and raising awareness on health and safety topics that are relevant to our community as well as providing access to important health and safety resources.
Our HSC members are also available to you on the fields to provide first aid and/or CPR in case of an emergency. These volunteers will be wearing color-coded armbands that indicate the type of support they're able to provide (see below):
Orange reflective armbands signify the individual can provide CPR in case of a cardiac arrest.
Green reflective armbands identify folks who can provide first aid as well as respond with CPR. These are the folks to seek out if you need items from the first aid kit such as ice packs, band aids, etc.
IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN BECOMING INVOLVED WITH THE HSC whether it is to be identified for first aid/CPR or if you're just interested in being involved with health and safety topics, please email Theresa Waterbury.
The next HSC meeting will be held over Google Meets on: Monday, June 5, 6pm-7pm.
Please check out more information about Healthy & Safety on our website (now under "About") and contact Theresa@pvdgffl.org if interested in joining the committee.
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Player Development Pointers | |
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Throughout the season, our Director of Recruitment & Player Development, Sean Davis, will provide tips and guidance that will help you learn the game of football and/or take your game to the next level.
Essential Wide Receiver Routes
Let’s first start off with some routes that every team should have in their wide receiver route trees. These basic wide receiver routes are important fundamentals to build plays off of and learn the ropes of the flag football game.
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SLANT
Setup: For this route, start on the line of scrimmage, on whichever side of the ball/quarterback you've been instructed. Slant routes can be run from either side of the ball and always go towards the middle of the field. If you line up to the left side of the ball, you'll "slant" to the right across the middle of the field. If you start on the right side, you'll slant to the left.
Directions: On the snap, run forward 2-3 yards, then quickly cut at a near 45-degree angle in the direction of your slant.
Tips: As you prepare for the 45-degree cut, try to make a fake move in the opposite direction that you'll be cutting. This will cause the defender to stumble as you change direction, opening you up to receive a throw.
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COMEBACK
Setup: To set up the comeback, also known as the hitch route, determine with your quarterback how deep to run your route. This route can be used both for short and deep yardage.
Directions: Run your comeback route at the agreed upon yardage, then turn back a yard to receive the catch. When changing direction backward, plant your foot and turn in the opposite direction. This makes it easier to quickly adjust your direction. Clarify with your quarterback whether you should turn in towards the middle of the field, or out towards the sideline when you pivot for your comeback.
Tips: Once you catch the ball, be ready to pivot again and run directly up-field.
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IN/OUT
Setup: For this route, line up on either side of the quarterback, at least five yards from the outside boundaries.
Directions: On the snap, run forward the instructed distance (typically 5 or 10 yards), then quickly turn on a 90-degree angle toward the inside/outside of the field. You want to run parallel to the line of scrimmage.
Tips: This route is a perfect opportunity to take advantage of a weaker defensive side.
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POST
Setup: Whether you’re running this route, line up on the line of scrimmage on either side of the quarterback. Make sure you have a few yards of distance from the quarterback, so you can cut inward toward the center of the field.
Directions: To run a post, run straight forward for five to 10 yards, then cut at a 45-degree angle toward the center of the field. You can adjust the angle at which you cut to take advantage of openings on the field.
Tips: To remember this receiver route, imagine you are running toward the field goal, or “post,” after cutting at five to 10 yards.
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GO
Setup: The go route can be performed on either side of the quarterback. Position yourself anywhere on the line of scrimmage and get ready to run! The go route is often for long yardage plays.
Directions: This one is easy (though perhaps the most tiring). To run the go route, simply run straight down the field for the number of yards instructed by your quarterback. When you’re about to reach your desired yardage, look over your shoulder for the throw. You shouldn’t stop running at any point during your route, so be on the lookout for the ball.
Tips: When running this route, we recommend strategizing with the quarterback on the desired yardage of the play. This will give you a goal of your speed and help you know when to turn your head to complete a pass. A touchdown awaits!
If you have any questions, please contact Sean Davis.
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Open Division End of Season Survey | |
We hope all our Open Division players enjoyed your Spring Season experience! Now is your opportunity to tell us what went well and what we can improve for future seasons. Please take a few minutes to fill out our Spring Season survey, which asks for your input on your captains, referees, the season schedule, the overall vibe of the season, social events, and more. Your individual results will only be shared with the Board of Directors. We've extended the deadline by one more week - please complete the survey by Friday, May 26. | |
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If you'd like a more competitive football experience, we encourage you to consider our PVDGFFL Lobster Tournament Teams. All the fun of our regular season, with a higher level of competition, the chance to meet players from around the country, and the opportunity to represent our league on the national level!
We're now gauging interest for our Gay Bowl teams, which will compete in Seattle on October 5-8. We're currently planning to send two Open Division teams and two Women's+ teams. If you'd like to be considered for one of our tournament teams, please complete this interest form by Wednesday, May 24. Please note that although the league hosts fundraisers to help reduce the overall costs associated with tournament play, we cannot predict how much support we might be able to provide, so players should be prepared to cover their flight, housing, and food.
Gay Bowl captains and rosters will be announced in the next few weeks.
*Tournament Eligibility: In order to be eligible for Gay Bowl, a player must be in good standing with the league and must have played in at least one of our two most recent seasons (Fall '22 or Spring '23) or be registered for our current Women's+ season. Once selected to a roster, all tournament players will be required to attend a minimum number of practices in order to remain eligible and may forfeit their roster spot if they fail to meet the minimum threshold.*
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2023 PVD Lobsters Non-Player Supporter Jersey | | |
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You can help us raise money for our tournament teams by purchasing these awesome supporter jerseys, which include panels from all four of our Pride Bowl team jerseys, our PVDGFFL and PVD Lobsters logos on the front, and sponsors on the back. Thank you, Red, for this incredible design, which not only looks amazing, but also captures the heart, spirit, and unity of our league.
The deadline to order a jersey is Monday, May 29.
Jersey cost is $45 (+ processing fees).
Jerseys will be available for pick-up during our Pride Bowl Send-Off Party on Monday, June 19 @ Alley Cat.
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The Providence Gay Flag Football League is excited to offer a fun opportunity to head up to Fenway Park for Red Sox Pride Night against the Colorado Rockies on June 13th at 7:10PM. Invite your friends or partner(s) and come hang out with your PVDGFFL family as we enjoy a night of America's pastime. All ticket purchasers will receive a Red Sox pride-colored jersey at the game and are welcome to attend a pre-game social on the Sam Adam's Deck.
We have a designated section in the Right Field Grandstand section. Tickets are $39 per person. Because of demand, we have almost sold out of our original block of tickets. But, have no fear - we've just added a few more rows. Right now, 35 tickets are available. If you're interested in going, be sure to purchase your tickets by the deadline of June 1, 2023.
Click on the following link to purchase: https://fevogm.com/event/PVDGFFLPride2023
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This week's Sponsor Spotlight focuses on one of our new sponsors for 2023, Inc.ubate Coworking. Inc.ubate helps connect innovative, entrepreneurial and small business professionals to one another, and the business resources they need to succeed. Their reach extends from East Boston to Hamilton.
Inc.ubate Coworking hopes to achieve four main community objectives:
- To revitalize downtown and historic areas of the communities we operate in and make it a destination for professionals, their clients, and coworkers.
- Become a local hub and driver of ideas for local business/economic development.
- Establish a working/learning culture and in hopes, pass knowledge onto the community beyond the confines of the physical space.
- Support local scholarship, improved educational access, professional development and community health & wellness.
Inc.ubate Coworking was generous enough to open their doors for the Providence Gay Flag Football League's annual Board of Directors Retreat. Plus, our own Director of Captains, Michael Lucerto, is the founder & host of this innovative company. We thank Inc.ubate Coworking for their support and look forward to a long-lasting relationship.
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Upcoming Events & Important Dates | |
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Chris Almonte — Commissioner
Rolfe Hubley — Assistant Commissioner, Open Division
Red McSwiggan — Assistant Commissioner, Women’s+ Division
Greg Polzer — Treasurer
Josh Klemp — Secretary
Chloe Nelson — Director of Events
Chelsea Beaudoin — Director of Travel Teams
Michael Lucerto — Director of Captains
Marc Perkel — Director of Marketing and Communications
Sean Corcoran — Co-Director of Football Operations
John Mancone — Co-Director of Football Operations
Sean Davis — Director of Recruitment and Player Development
Anthony DeRose — Director of Fundraising and Sponsorships
Jay Potter — Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Red McSwiggan — Director of Rules and Referees
Theresa Waterbury — Director of Health and Safety
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