On March 21, as dawn broke over William Rolland Stadium, members of Cal Lutheran's first-ever women's flag football team were already hard at work.
Undeterred by the chilly morning air, the group of 20 ran through plays for coaches Brandon Alexander and Glenn Gates. The two football veterans watched intently and offered instruction, trying to avoid jargon because some of the athletes are new to the sport.
"Not only are they learning technique, but the terminology," Alexander said. "It's like having to learn a whole new language."
Tasked with constructing the program from its foundation, Gates, a former Cal Lutheran football player, and Alexander are aiming for a transition from club status to a fully sanctioned NCAA team by spring 2027.
None of the current crop of players came to school to play football.
When Cal Lutheran unveiled its decision to launch women's flag football in late 2024, an email circulated among the female student body seeking players for a spring intramural team. Sophomore Lucy Cassell and junior Clara De La Cerda were among those who answered the call.
The pair, who grew up playing softball, soccer and basketball, are already hooked.
"Low key, it's probably my favorite sport," Cassell said. "We practice every single morning at 6 a.m. and there's nothing else I'd want to wake up for."
Oxnard native De La Cerda, raised around football, had only ever watched the game - until now.
"I've always wanted to play football because I grew up around football, my brothers, my family, everybody played and I just watched," she said. "(When I saw the email) I was like 'OK, I want to try. Let's do it.'"
The team held its first organized drills in mid-February. When Alexander told players the practice schedule-Monday through Friday, 6 to 8 a.m-he figured there'd be some attrition. He was wrong.
"We've got a great group," the coach said. "It's clear they want to be out here, getting better."
Alexander leaves his home in Santa Barbara each morning around 5 to arrive on campus in time for practice. His players attest that his dedication is infectious.
"It's humbling," said Cassell, who works in the office of Alumni and Family Relations. "I'm like 'I can't complain anymore.' If he's making that sort of commitment, he has another job, he has kids … then we should be making that commitment as well. I tell my teammates I want to play for them, for the school, but I also want to play for him."
De La Cerda credits Alexander's coaching style for making a significant difference.
"He's very patient, which I love because we've got all types of players with all types of skill levels," she said. "And he's very descriptive. He's not just telling us how to do something, he's taking the time to show us."
Time is of the essence for Alexander and Gates. With a mere two months of practice logged, Cal Lutheran is gearing up to host an eight-team tournament featuring, among others, Arizona State University, Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College, this weekend.
"I said, 'Hey girls, we're hosting this tournament. We've got to be ready," Alexander said.
All games will be played at William Rolland Stadium beginning with a day of round-robin play on March 28 followed by a single-elimination tournament March 29.
It's not lost on team members that they're a part of making history.
"I think it's exciting that we're the inaugural team, so we can kind of set the standard, I really like that aspect about it," said Cassell, who grew up in the South where football is a religion. "Ever since I was a kid I said 'I wish football was a women's sport,' and now it is."
