DESCRIPTION
IWFFA PROMOTIONAL TOUR 2022 - MOROCCO & PAKISTAN
Originally, the Morocco women played 5 on 5 flag football. When the Morocco Dragons traveled to Key West, Florida to compete in the Kelly McGillis Classic International Women’s Flag Football Championship, they decided they wanted to switch to play IWFFA 8 on 8 flag football.
This was the beginning of the 2022 IWFFA promotional tour 2022 for Morocco.
Organizers: Fatima Zahra Aouane and Salma El Azaoui and IWFFA staff worked together to plan the trainings to teach how to Officiate and Play 8 on 8 flag football in Morocco. At the end of 8 days of intensive flag football training, the teams would put their newly learned skills to the test in the first annual IWFFA-Morocco Women’s Flag Football Tournament which was July 23 – 24, 2022.
From the Pakistan side, we have IWFFA Ambassador: Zeba Mazoor Hussain who chose trainer: Aisha Qazi to travel to Morocco to learn from all the IWFFA trainings to take back to Pakistan. Because of COVID the previous 2 years, the IWFFA had not been able to travel to Pakistan to develop their women’s flag football. So, this Moroccan promo tour provided the opportunity to bring flag football to Pakistan. There were greater demands put on Aisha, because she had a larger responsibility for the sport, Pakistan and the IWFFA. Aisha received intensive training to: coach – play – officiate. She brings back to Pakistan equipment, knowledge and unity for all the IWFFA players around the world.
And thus was born: The Morocco Women’s Flag Football League, with female representative for each team, support from all the male coaches, female president for the league and female Ambassador for Morocco to the IWFFA, with women ruling their own sport.
Transitioning from 5 on 5 to 8 on 8 flag football
Many 5 on 5 flag football teams do well in our IWFFA tournaments. We’ve had 5 on 5 teams compete in our IWFFA 8 on 8 Guatemala and Mexican tournaments who took the championships!
5 on 5 flag football is a fast game which develops strong Quarterbacks and strong receivers.
Adjusting to the 8 on 8 style adds such skills as: blocking between the shoulders and waist, strategy and finesse which was easy for the Moroccan women because they were eager to learn, good listeners, focused and were good athletes.
Blocking and creating plays for the blocking was one of the skills emphasized. The offensive line was taught to either protect the QB, or to come off the line to lead block and protect the ball carrier on running plays. Everyone on the offensive team had to know: 1) Formation 2) what the play was, who was to get the ball and 3) when the ball would be snapped.
In the 8 on 8 game, Quarterbacks have more time to make passes, and we explained to receivers a variety of pass patterns.
We used a number system to quicken play calling in the huddles.
Examples of some plays heard in the huddle were: “T” formation – 71, 84, on 2. Or “I” formation – 31 – on 1.
The huddle seemed to be the most fun. To have the group of players huddle to organize their next play, then end with a quick cheer to put the team in the same rhythm and timing was loud and intense.
Kicking – Punting – Fake Kicks – Field Goals were also new elements of the flag football game for the Moroccans.
All in all, these trainings were excellent and it was clear that the Morocco women’s flag football will soon become leaders in the sport.
