Preparations for the annual powderpuff flag football game between the senior girls of Marblehead and Swampscott High Schools are well under way ahead of the Nov. 21 contest at Piper Field.
“This is a tradition,” said Marblehead’s powderpuff advisor, Jacqui Bouchard, who has been in charge of the program since 2007. “These girls, both Marblehead and Swampscott girls, they’ve waited since they were little girls to come do this. It brings the town together and it brings these girls together as a class. It may be the first time in all four years of high school that all the girls are together and making friendships with kids they haven’t in a long time.”
Over 70 girls took part in a practice on the Gatchells Park Little League diamond on Wednesday evening led by MHS student coaches Caleb Sidman, Tyler Cooper, Noah Wilson, Blake Hammond, Max Karlyn and Finn Baron.
“The first couple of weeks are just kind of the basics,” said Baron. “Just understanding what [position] you want to be and what football is. Just understanding the basics of football so all the girls know what to do on gameday.”
After warmup laps of the field and stretches, the team took to handoff and flag pulling drills to help instil the most basic offensive and defensive skills in a team consisting mostly of first time football players.
“Every single night we’ve been doing drills with our groups,” said Julia Betz, a powderpuff player and track athlete at MHS. “Our coaches are always cheering us on. It’s a lot of fun. I don’t really know what position I want to play yet, but it’s fun getting to try everything.”
Last Wednesday’s practice was also the day the players began to pick their positions. With such a large squad, the team has the ability to form entirely separate offensive and defensive units rather than using the “iron man” system often used by the boy’s varsity team.
“We’re already a bigger school than Swampscott so it gives us a bigger team to work with,” said Sidman who will be working primarily with the defense. “Every single one of the girls out here can play and they play for real. They’ve been impressing us every day.”
Powderpuff not only brings together the senior class, but also combines skills from across Marblehead’s 15 girls and co-ed sports into a well drilled flag football team.
“It’s so fun being a part of a team that’s different from our typical sports,” said Collette Leighton who plays on the MHS varsity soccer team. “There are so many multisport athletes that are here to participate and it’s so fun to see what everyone brings to the table from all their different sports.”
As always, proceeds from ticket sales to the game will be split by the schools to direct to local charities. A portion of Marblehead’s proceeds will be donated to the Owen P. Coyne Scholarship Fund.
“Everything we’re doing is for a win for marblehead but it’s so much more than just for Marblehead. It’s now for Owen,” said Leighton. “He truly is missed by every single one of us. I think, for us as the powderpuff, we are so excited to represent Marblehead but also represent Owen and what he has given to us as a town.”
While the team rushes to prepare for the game on Nov. 21, the 2026 powderpuff players and coaches are working hard to fulfil the singular goal and mantra echoed throughout their practice: “Beat Swampscott!”
Tickets for the 2026 Marblehead-Swampscott powderpuff football game are on sale for $11 and can be purchased on the Marblehead Schools Athletics page.
