Palmetto High flag football player will show her skills on national stage
Miami Palmetto senior Isabella Sosa — the only South Florida athlete invited to compete in the first U.S. Army Bowl Flag All-American Game — hopes her selection is great news for all females who want to play football beyond high school.
“Getting picked means that all my hard work is paying off,” Sosa said. “This game is going to be great for little girls who see football on TV, and they want to play, too.
“I’m hoping that girls who play flag football will be taken more seriously in the future.”
Football has always been Sosa’s favorite sport. But, for years, she was a competitive dancer or a volleyball player because she didn’t see a future in flag football.
Then, when she discovered that some colleges offer scholarships to play flag, this is what she told her parents:
“This is going to be something big. Give me a chance.”
Her parents said yes, and Sosa started taking flag football seriously as a sophomore. Last season, as a junior at Coral Reef, she made honorable mention All-Dade as a rusher, center and slot receiver.
Sosa’s mother, Tania, believes her daughter didn’t do better than honorable mention last season because her stats weren’t reported enough. That was at least a factor in Sosa’s transfer to Palmetto in August.
Regardless, on Oct. 9, Sosa got a scholarship offer from Ottawa (Kansas) University, which in May won its third consecutive NAIA championship.
Ottawa is coached by
Liz Sowers, who is also the offensive coordinator. Her twin sister, Katie, was an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers from 2017 to 2021, becoming the first woman on the coaching staff of a Super Bowl team.
Katie is defensive coordinator for Ottawa, and both sisters are hyped to get Sosa on campus next year.
Liz Sowers, speaking to The Herald, said she saw Sosa play in a few travelball tournaments, and that’s how she decided to recruit her.
“You can’t miss her — she’s the one doing backflips on the sideline,” Sowers said. “She has great energy, and she will fit us perfectly.”
Sosa visited the Ottawa campus in late October, and she signed with the Braves on Nov. 1.
Then, on Nov. 30, Sosa was one of only 20 players from across the country to get an invitation to play in the U.S. Army game, which is set for Dec. 18 in Frisco, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys. The game is for prep seniors only.
Sosa, who, according to her mother, had 56 catches for 11 touchdowns and 65 flag-pulls last year, has been reunited with Kevin Mujica, who is her travelteam coach for South Florida Elite.
Mujica, who is also Palmetto’s coach, said Sosa has helped his travel team win numerous tournaments around the country.
“She’s got a lot of juke moves,” Mujica said. “Give her the ball in space and watch her make people miss.”
Sosa, who turns 17 in January, uses her small stature (5-1, 110 pounds) to her advantage.
“As a rusher, she is low to the ground, and she uses angles and speed to get to the quarterback,” Mujica said. “She’s a great flag-puller with a nonstop motor.
“On both sides of the ball, she’s evasive with quick feet and lateral movement. She works hard, never takes plays off, and she’s always hyped and vocal.”
Sosa said that two of her biggest dreams are to play flag football in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and to become a firefighter.
In the meantime, she is keeping a close eye on her favorite pro team — the Dolphins — to see if she can pick up any tips.
“My biggest advantage is my speed – that’s how I get open,” Sosa said when asked to describe her playing style.
“I’m like [Dolphins receiver] Tyreek Hill. I’m always open.”