Story Written by Zach Segars – CHSAANow.com
AURORA, Colo. — Just two weeks into the Colorado High School Activities Association's inaugural flag football season, Chatfield has already begun to stand out as one of the state's top programs, thanks to head coach Alexis Rosholt and the experience the team gained while competing in the flag football pilot program.
Through their first two games, the Chargers boast a 2-0 record, have outscored their opponents 59-12, and look primed to avenge their one-point semifinal loss from last year's pilot season, in pursuit of winning Colorado's first-ever high school flag football state championship.
This red-hot start to the season helped Coach Rosholt win Denver Broncos Flag Football Coach of the Week honors for Week 2.
Alexis Rosholt
Overall record at Chatfield: 2-0
Why do you coach high school sports?
I look back on my life and, growing up, my coaches had the greatest impact on my life and on how successful I was on the field and off the field. I still, to this day, call my old high school coach with questions and keep in touch with them. I hope to bring a positive impact to the lives of the kids I coach now, just as my coaches have done for me. I coach because I want to make sure that no matter where my athletes go in life, they always feel like someone has their back and is a support system for them, both now and in the future. I feel athletics helps bring a sense of belonging and togetherness in a world where so much is done in isolation.
How did you start coaching flag?
I was reached out to by our Athletic Director at the time. He knew my background in coaching and was hoping to bring a sense of "family is football" to our school and bring our boys and girls programs together. I was excited for the opportunity to build something special at Chatfield and give the female athletes another opportunity to play a sport.
What have you learned about coaching flag through your experiences?
Flag in Colorado has become ever-changing. You have to learn to adapt quickly and on the go with the rules changes and field changes. What has been the most fun is being able to learn alongside the girls. This sport is so fun to get into, and it allows for so many types of athletes to bring their skill sets from other sports into the game and be a successful unit. The coaching staff at Chatfield has been able to find the skill sets that each athlete possesses and translate them into the game of flag, making it a great way to develop each player in a way they will understand.
How have you seen the sport grow?
I was fortunate enough to be a part of the start-up year of this sport, back in 2022, when we started out with just three school districts -- Jeffco, Cherry Creek, and DPS. We now have well over 60 schools participating at the start of the varsity season. I firmly believe that we wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the Broncos putting their faith into the sport and into us as coaches to help get the excitement and the participation we needed to get the sport off the ground and into hyper-speed. At Chatfield, we are fortunate enough to hold youth camps in the offseason and see our younger athletes, who will move on to Chatfield, compete in leagues through NFL Flag. Jason Torres, who is on our high school coaching staff, has also developed an all-girls team at the youth level that competes against boys teams, and I personally think that it is so awesome to see everyone coming together to enjoy a sport together.
Why do you coach the way you coach?
I have been given so many great coaches to look up to and, as a result, have been able to take bits and pieces of what I liked and didn't like to create my own style, and that has been the best part. I coach the way I coach because I hope to build players up and not break them down emotionally. I want each athlete who plays on one of my teams to know I will expect great attitudes, a desire to compete, a will to get better every day, and a drive to be the best person they can be, and if they bring those attributes then they will receive the same from me as well. I want to build my players up through encouragement and not through fear.
What is a lesson you try to impart on your athletes?
We try to teach the girls that it is ok to fail and that perfection is not attainable. We want our players to never feel afraid of making mistakes on the field, mistakes are where you see growth in them as athletes. We want them to own them and move on. If our athletes are giving us as a coaching staff 100 percent effort, then we can't ask for anything more.
We want them to raise each other up in times of triumph and failure. We win as a team and lose as a team. When our offense succeeds, so does our defense, and vice versa.
What are you most proud of so far this season?
We had seven starters last year graduate, which, for most teams, could be detrimental, especially given they were all starters. Instead, we have been able to add from our second varsity team we had last year, of mostly underclassmen, to fill those spots and then some. They have come together as a team and competed with each other and lifted each other up and because of their sheer competitiveness and drive to get to that final game again this year, they have been successful so far. We have come together in just two short weeks and walked away undefeated in our first weekend. We have had several players begin their recruiting process to play at the next level, as well, which is awesome to see.
What does it mean to you to be taking part in the inaugural sanctioned season?
Being able to be a part of this next phase of this sport is amazing. To see the growth and the success this sport has had in Colorado and to be a very small part of that is a great honor. I am hopeful that now that we are officially a varsity sport that it will open up opportunities for girls to get college scholarships and continue to play this game for many years to come. I also feel that now that we are official it will give the girls a sense of pride knowing their sport too is now a varsity sport, and not just a club they participate in.
What is your goal for the remainder of this season?
Our team's goals for the remainder of the season are to continue building as a team, creating our small family at a big school, and seeing success on and off the field, and we want to, of course, make it to playoffs for the third time and, hopefully, through tons of work and a lot of answered prayers, make it to the State Championship again.
