On multiple occasions, Mya De Jesus has had to take a step back to fully grasp all that flag football has taken her in recent months.
“It’s so surreal. Sometimes, I’ll be playing and after the games, I’ll be like, ‘wow, I’m actually in San Diego right now and I’m supposed to be in Jersey in the really cold weather, while I’m in this beautiful weather,’” said De Jesus, who had never been on a plane until a couple of months ago. “It’s just awesome. I had no idea that flag would take me as far as it did, and now I’m able to do all of these things, so I think it’s really amazing.”
Now, flag football is taking De Jesus, a senior at Harrison High School, is heading to the Pro Bowl.
De Jesus was one of 32 players nationwide selected to play in the NFL FLAG Girls High School Showcase on Tuesday, Feb. 3 in Santa Clara, California. The game, which will air on ESPN, is part of the NFL Pro Bowl festivities leading up to Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8.
Each of the NFL’s 32 teams selected a player to compete in the event, De Jesus, who plays for Jets Flag Elite, is the New York Jets’ representative.
De Jesus learned of her selection right before Christmas.
“I was so surprised because I had no idea I’d even be considered for it,” De Jesus said. “It’s just crazy to think that I’m the only girl from New Jersey that got picked.”
“Everyone was excited,” said Harrison flag football coach Dan Nankivell. “Our school’s really excited and we’re planning a big watch party. I think this is one of the coolest opportunities ever afforded to an athlete I’ve been around personally.”
Nankivell encouraged De Jesus to try flag football during the winter of her freshman year after he saw her playing basketball. According to the 5-foot-2 linebacker/defensive back, she, “had never touched a football and never pulled a flag,” but quickly became an impact player in the new, but rapidly growing sport.
Over the past two seasons, De Jesus had 76 flag pulls and five interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns. She also added 21 total touchdowns on offense while at running back and wide receiver.
During her junior season, De Jesus was one of 12 players selected to play for Jets Flag Elite, a 5-on-5 flag football, sponsored by the Jets, that competes in tournaments across the Northeast. Her play on the field has led to De Jesus receiving offers to play collegiately from more than a dozen different schools.
While flag football has clearly emerged as the sport where De Jesus’s future lies, basketball has remained a place of equal importance for the senior. And like on the football field, De Jesus’ combination of speed, instincts and aggressiveness have made her a game-changer on the defensive end.
Despite having to balance basketball with her flag football commitments, De Jesus’ 8.2 steals per game are third most in the state this season. She also leads Harrison in points (14.3 per game) and assists (3.5 per game). Her play has helped lead the Blue Tide to a 6-1 record, one of their best starts in recent memory.
“She is all over the floor offensively and defensively,” head girls basketball coach Jennifer Caliendo said. “On a defensive fastbreak, she will sprint all the way back and take an offense charge for our team to change the game. That is the selfless player that Mya is. That’s what makes her a great defensive player.”
For De Jesus, the only downside of her trip to the Pro Bowl, which she and her mother will depart for on Feb. 1, is that she will have to miss basketball practice and one game. With a basketball game set for Feb. 4, one day after the pro bowl, De Jesus will take an earlier flight in order to make it to the game that day.
There’s one other thing De Jesus admits she’ll miss during her pro bowl trip – the watch parties where friends, classmates and even strangers are sure to celebrate the girl from a small West Hudson town making it on a big stage.
“I kind of wish I was there because I feel like I’m missing out, but it’s so cool to see the support that I get,” De Jesus said. “It’s such a small town and no one really knows where Harrison is. It’s cool that it’s going to be everywhere for everyone to see.”
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Jason Bernstein | Observer Sports Writer
Jason Bernstein joined The Observer as its sports writer in March 2022, following the retirement of Jim Hague. He has a wealth of sports-writing experience, including for NJ Advance Media (nj.com, The Jersey Journal, The Star-Ledger.)