By Pedro Pereira
This weekend (10th and 11th), the Rio Grande do Sul women’s flag football team – made up of the best players in Rio Grande do Sul and which has eight athletes from the Santa Maria Soldiers – will compete in the Copa Sul. The tournament starts on Saturday, at 10 am, at the Timbó Sports Complex, in Santa Catarina.
The ones summoned from Santa Maria are the attackers Edward Santi, Raquel Heimann, Jessica Lemos e Kelly Maldaner and defensive players Manuela Kelling, Kelly Taline, usually raugust e Lucimara Friedrich???????? Together with Rio Grande do Sul Pampeanas – as the team is called -, the women’s division of Timbó Rex and teams from Desterro Atlantis, from Florianópolis, and from Sirius Flag Football, based in Corupá and Jaraguá do Sul, compete in the competition.
The cast of Coritiba Crocodiles withdrew from the event due to the problems caused by the heavy rains that have occurred in recent weeks on the highways that connect Paraná and Santa Catarina. In this way, to help regions affected by environmental disasters, the organization of the tournament has determined that entry to the event will be solidarity. To watch the games in person, just take 1 kg of non-perishable food, a cleaning product or a hygiene item.
An edition of the championship focused on the male flag will also be held simultaneously. In addition, two fields will be made available so that two matches can take place at the same time.
The format is all against all, with the two best placed teams going to the title decision and the remaining teams play for the bronze medal. With regard to the transmission of games, only the dispute for third place and the grand final of the competitions can be watched by fans who do not go to Complexo Esportivo de Timbó.
Check below the matches of the Pampeanas
10/12 – 10h – Sirius Flag X T-Rex Flag – Campo 1
10/12 – 10h – Rio Grande do Sul Pampas X Atlantis Banishment – Field 2
12/10 – 12h – T-Rex Flag X Atlantis Exile – Field 1
10/12 – 12h – Sirius Flag X Rio Grande do Sul Pampas – Campo 2
12/10 – 3pm – Atlantis X Sirius Flag Banishment – Field 1
10/12 – 15h – T-Rex Flag X Rio Grande do Sul Pampas – Campo 2
12/11 – 9:30 am – 1st place X 2nd place – Field 1
12/11 – 9:30 am – 3rd place X 4th place – Field 2
A safety from Rio Grande do Sul and the female flag cast of Soldiers, Kelly Taline, revealed the fruits that the summoned took from the training of the Gaúcha Selection held in November. The player also says that the experience helped in the synergy of the cast of players who, for the most part, faced each other several times during 2022.
“It was a very aggregating experience. We had access to more knowledge, different views regarding the sport, new strategies and training and execution methods. All this added a lot of knowledge to our players. In addition, it gave us an opportunity to learn more about the athletes from the other teams who, at the moment, are by our side in the Pampeanas but who, next year, will be our opponents on the field again”, said Kelly.
Likewise, the athlete talks about what she expects from the debut of the Pampeanas in the South Cup, since for many players this will be the first experience outside the State. Still, she believes that the gaúchas can return from Timbó with achievements.
“Expectations are high. It is a high level competition, with very developed and evolved teams. Some of them have never played a match. The journey will be exhausting and so will the competition. There are several games on the same day and matches close to each other, with little rest time, but we have a very qualified team and very committed to the process. We have great chances of returning from Santa Catarina with medals because, within the Pampeanas, we have some of the best athletes in Rio Grande do Sul as well as an excellent technical commission”, said the safety.
