Williamstown High School's Jaime Land was meant to be a coach, and in turn, to be the Philadelphia Eagles High School Girls Flag Football Coach of the Week, presented by Visa.

"I'm very honored. There are a lot of good coaches out there, and I know that my girls are a big reason why. I mean, they're the reason why we did this," Land said. "I just helped them flourish in certain aspects. But they really get all the credit, and my assistant coach, because I couldn't have done anything without all these girls and my coach helping me."

What her girls and assistant coach, Karen Dilmore, helped do was complete a 16-1 record in the West Jersey Football League and win the Eagles Girls Flag Football League of New Jersey Championship over Pleasantville, 20-0, on May 18 at the Jefferson Health Training Complex.

"We have a really special group of girls. We have a couple of leaders in our seniors who played last year and were able to help with guidance. We had Shayna Demarest, who led the team in sacks, led the state in sacks, with 52 this season," Land said.

"My assistant coach was in charge of defense. I was in charge of offense. Last year, we just did everything together and I think changing that this year, we were more effective at what we were able to do."

Land became the head coach last year when the school's flag football program began and guided the Braves to an 11-3 record and a trip to the Eagles' practice facility for the Eagles Girls Flag Football League of New Jersey, presented by Gatorade, semifinals.

"I actually know the Kingway coach, Susie Massara, and I saw that flag football was becoming very in big in our area in South Jersey," Land said. "And I don't know, I love competition, I love coaching. I knew that we had really athletic girls at Williamstown and just had a feeling we would thrive. So I talked to my athletic director at the time, Dean Insana, and he was on board with the program.

"The first year, it was a whirlwind because I really didn't understand how much needed to be done. I just went with the flow. We played Washington Township our first game (winning 24-6), and it was the greatest game I've ever experienced in my life! Just the energy that our girls had, I was like, 'Oh, my God, we could be good.'

"I will tell you that there's nothing like coaching when your team scores a touchdown. I played softball before, I played basketball, scored 1,000 points, but watching your team score a touchdown, I don't know, the thrill of it was really fun.

"We had a good team who were a bunch of girls who'd never played before, so we just weren't expecting anything. And it was really the most perfect first year we've ever had because we actually went pretty far, to the semifinals last year."

Besides being a health and physical education teacher and flag football coach at Williamstown, Land has also served as the girls varsity basketball coach for the last seven years and recorded her 100th career win this past season.

"Well, the timing isn't that great because (flag football season begins) like a week after basketball season," Land laughed. "It's a completely different sport, but I relate it a lot to basketball in a way. It just helps me understand the game better, like defensive concepts and all kinds of concepts, because in reality, you're just trying to score. You just have to find different ways to do it.

"And it's only me and my assistant. I always wondered why in football, there's a million volunteers, different specialty coaches, but now I do understand.

"Sometimes it's hard as a coach, especially in the beginning, trying to build a program, trying to have kids buy in, but they bought in right away and we truly worked together as a team. They loved playing with each other."

Whether at home, in the classroom, on the court during the winter, or on the field in the spring, she is committed to her children (Chase and Avery), her students, and her players – hoping to make a difference in their lives beyond the game.

"My goal as a coach and human being is to inspire both my students and my children to pursue excellence while maintaining their integrity. And I do that by living it myself, one day at a time," Land said. "As a mom, educator, and coach, I've learned that balancing these roles isn't about perfection, it's more about intention. I try to model for my students and my children what it looks like to pursue goals that are meaningful while always staying true to what you believe in.

"To me, achievement means helping to teach the kids what success truly is. It's not about doing everything right all the time, it's about being consistent and doing what's most important. Whether it's creating a great practice and scouting plan or being there for my children's athletic events and activities, I try daily to make a real difference in the spaces where I have the most influence."

While several girls take part in multiple sports at Williamstown, including three who followed Land from basketball, flag football offers a new opportunity to experience working together as a team while learning invaluable life lessons.

"Flag football is the perfect training ground for life's challenges," Land said. "On the field, our athletes learn that adversity isn't something to fear, it's something to overcome. They experience challenges, they get knocked down, they have to adjust strategies mid-game. What matters most is they learn to get back up. They learn that one bad play doesn't define them. They learn teamwork, communication, and problem-solving under pressure.

"These skills directly translate to handling adversity in the real world. When they face rejection in college applications, setbacks in their careers, or personal struggles, they've already had experience with practicing resilience on the field. They know how to stay composed, adapt, and push through challenges. Our athletes graduate, they go to college, and they become leaders in their communities and in the game of life. This is why coaching is so rewarding, because we can be there to witness it."