Flag football, McClatchy star highlighted in Super Bowl week showcase
As Super Bowl LX approaches on Sunday, the NFL has kicked off the celebration with a week of events — including events highlighting high school flag football athletes.
On Tuesday, 32 high school flag football athletes participated in NFL Flag’s Girls High School Showcase at the Moscone Center in San Francisco — including an athlete from McClatchy High School.
Daisy Throckmorton, McClatchy High School’s flag-football quarterback, was selected to play in the showcase alongside top flag football athletes from other schools across the country including athletes from Colorado, Florida and New York.
“I’m really excited to be here and have this opportunity to see all these amazing players,” she said. “There are so many great NFL players here and it’s great to see them in person.”
Throckmorton is not only a stand-out flag football athlete. She helped McClatchy win a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championship in girls basketball, as well as became the first female quarterback in the 88-year history of the McClatchy tackle football program. Throckmorton told the Bee in December that her goal is to play flag football in the Olympics.
Throckmorton’s coaches, John Avery and Jeremy Griggs, also joined her at the event, serving as coaches for the showcase’s NFC team — mimicking the set-up of the Pro Bowl, which followed immediately, in which a team of NFC athletes faces off against a team of AFC athletes.
Throckmorton’s team, the NFC, was toppled by the AFC during the showcase in a 7-6 loss. But to Throckmorton, just being there was the best part.
During the showcase she was seen throwing passes to NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice. She says she also got to play catch with Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nakua.
“I’ve always looked up to (Nakua) watching him on TV,” she said. “I thought he’s an amazing receiver, so it’s really cool to actually meet him in person.”
The NFL will continue to highlight flag football with the Toyota Glow Up Classic on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Moscone Center. The event will feature the Bay Area’s top high school flag football athletes facing off under UV lights in glow-in-the-dark gear alongside stars such as Brock Purdy, Puka Nacua, Michael Pittman Jr., Kyle Hamilton and Jordan Love. Eli Manning and Kylie Kelce will serve as referees.
The flag football highlights continue the NFL’s trend of showcasing the growing spot which started at last year’s Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
The Bee’s Hector Amezcua contributed to this story.
