Oviedo flag football team honored for winning national championship

Ice-cold water – freshly and ceremoniously dumped from a cooler – dripped off of head coach Kevin Brotz’s head and shoulders as he hopped, hugged and cheered with his team. It was the third time they traveled from Oviedo to College Park, Md., to compete for the national flag football championship, but the first time they clinched the title.

Playing on the fields of the University of Maryland, the third- and fourth-grade division champions finally reached the mountaintop in July, surrounded by friends and family.

“The energy was on high,” Brotz said. “A lot of families, friends, teammates and coaches were all over the campus.”

The roots of the team’s success stretch back to 2022, Brotz said, having been formed simply by a group of friends who loved playing together.

“My teammates are my best friends,” Brotz’s 10-year-old son, Hunter, said. “We worked hard for this opportunity, so when we won, everybody was yelling, high-fiving each other and going crazy.”

Many of the players attend Partin Elementary in Oviedo together and spend their weekends fishing and participating in other sports, like baseball and basketball, Brotz said. “They’re a tight-knit group,” he said. “They do a lot together.”

The Seahawks opened the championship weekend on Saturday with three convincing victories in the first round, earning the No. 1 overall seed. Their opponents scored first in multiple games the following day in the elimination round, testing the team’s poise, but the young players didn’t blink.

“We made some small adjustments during the game, and I don’t think we had less than a 14-point margin by the end of each game,” Brotz said. “We had a weekend where I don’t think we dropped a ball. Our boys just clicked.”

Even after the dominant wins, Brotz made sure the team showed appreciation to the opposing team at midfield, exchanging thanks and high-fives as a show of sportsmanship and mental maturity.

While he is hard on his players, Brotz said he always makes sure to encourage them when mistakes happen. “They’re never talked down to and are always uplifted,” Brotz said. “We push them mentally and physically to be the best they can be while also enjoying the game. Having fun is number one.”

Assistant coach Juan Naylor said Brotz gives a good mix of tough love for the players. “His style is first to praise when things are done right,” Naylor said. “It’s more of a learning moment. He understands that they should be treated as kids, which is something as a parent I appreciate.”

Naylor’s 10-year-old son, Franco, felt the same way. “He is tough on us, but he helps us improve,” Franco said. “If we slack off or don’t understand it, he helps us get better at it.”

The team’s bond was emphasized when Franco suffered a broken hand and arm in back-to-back seasons. While facing these obstacles, Franco always had the support of his teammates.

Despite the setbacks, Franco didn’t let the injuries stop him from supporting his teammates and getting back on the field.

“He never quit,” Brotz said. “He always came to practice, even when he couldn’t practice. He’s always a huge supporter of the team.”

After the long recovery, watching Franco’s face light up with joy after he scored is what it’s all about, Brotz said.

Reaching the championship weekend in Maryland wasn’t an easy feat financially, with the cost of travel, hotels, and a hefty $700 entry fee looming over the heads of many families.

The team decided it would do everything in its power to get their families to the big game. Brotz, who professionally guides alligator hunts, raffled off hunts to raise money for travel expenses. The other parents organized fundraisers of their own, including events outside of the former Winn-Dixie grocery store on Lockwood Boulevard.

“All that for each family is a lot, so I take it upon myself as a responsibility to help every way I can to get them there,” Brotz said. “There are a lot of teams that win and don’t go because they don’t want to deal with the financial aspect of it.”

Back in Oviedo, the team received special recognition. At a City Hall meeting on Sept. 15, the city council congratulated the team personally, with Brotz introducing each player as they stood in their bright green championship shirts, holding their trophy, which was half the size of most of the players.

“It was nice to see them get excited and walk into a formal setting to help them really realize the level of their achievement,” Brotz said. “When you have an official recognition from the city, it really helps it sink in and solidify.”

When Mayor Megan Sladek asked the team if they would return to nationals next season, the team answered with a unanimous “yes,” sparking applause from the city council and parents in attendance.

Brotz said the recognition by the city means more than just winning the championship and that it highlights the values he hopes the team will carry into life beyond football.

“Integrity is huge. The level of character that they carry just exudes,” Brotz said. “When you do things right when no one’s looking, the reward is bigger than if somebody was.”