Stephanie Mack is paying it forward.
Inspired by what her coach at University City High School, Lurline Jones, did for her and other female student-athletes in Philadelphia, she became a physical education teacher and is now the head coach of the girls flag football team at Imhotep Charter High School.
"Lurline Jones, who's a legend in coaching for girls and sports, is my mentor. She raised me and was my basketball coach," Mack said. "From there, just her being my mentor and seeing what coaching was and what it led to help girls that played sports and helped them to get to college, that's what I wanted to do.
"I went to Cheyney University, where I played collegiate basketball and volleyball at the Division II level, and since college, I first had experience as an assistant coach for Friends Select (High School) girls basketball for many years back in the 2000s. And through the years, I had AAU jobs and worked in different areas like that. But since I came to Imhotep in 2018, I always wanted to be a head coach.
"And the opportunity came for me to be a head coach through the Philadelphia Eagles for flag football. They said, 'Flag football is coming up. Would you like to have a team?' Timing and Lurline Jones wanting to have more opportunities for girls, I set forth to have a team for Imhotep girls for flag football."
In 2024, Mack founded the program with no experience but a passion to follow the path Jones had paved for her and others.
"When we first started, honestly, we didn't know anything," Mack said. "I had an all-women's coaching staff, and we had about 50 girls that came out. Twenty-five girls ended up playing on the team, and we all learned together. We didn't really know the rules at all, so we got the rule book and began to practice."
Since building the team from scratch three seasons ago, Mack has led the Lady Panthers to significant improvements in the Philadelphia Public League, supported by the Eagles.
"In the first year, we were 5-2 and came in fourth place and did not make the playoffs. It was a learning curve; we wanted to get better," Mack said. "The second year, we came out and were 10-1. Our season turned around. I learned a little more coaching style and how to condition the girls, and we got out there and won. We were division champions last year.
"We made it to the Public League Championship. We did not win, but it was really still a learning curve for us to show that we could do it. And with hard work and dedication and putting in the time, we became a championship-caliber team.
"This year, we ended up 4-3, but we were in the strength division. We ended up in third place, and made it to the quarterfinals."
Last season, two Imhotep players made the Philadelphia Eagles Big 33 Flag Football Team, as well as the Mini Max Award. This year, Crystra Jenkins received a nod for both honors.
Mack, who wanted to be a head coach before there was a team to actually coach, is proud of those achievements and of the growing intrigue in flag football at the school.
"What makes me most proud is that I see more and more girls interested in the sport," Mack said. "It surprises me, from year to year, the interest level of the girls who want to come out and just try. This is a sport that over the years was a male-dominated sport, and now we see a lot of talent that rise from, I guess, the ashes or the product of hard work and dedication.
"And what I enjoy most about coaching is the fact that I'm helping more and more girls get to the next level, now that there are opportunities for them to go to college and play the sport. That's kind of like what Miss Jones did for us, ensure that we not only graduated and got a high school diploma, but make sure that we can prepare ourselves for the next level with sports and scholarships and service."
While Mack sees an increase in girls strapping on the flags and taking the field, what does she hope they'll take away from being on the team, not only now, but later?
"I hope that they take away the fact that they learned a lot in regard to leadership, because a lot of the kids that I received, they weren't on the basketball team, or they weren't on any other sport. This is their first sport, and they really came out and gave it their all and see that they can accomplish anything if they practice at it," she said.
"I saw a lot of girls who were afraid to just try. And when they did go out there, the talent just bloomed. Not only on my team, but just seeing other teams and other girls around the league, how they are shining, as well.
"My heart is warm for that because here's yet another opportunity for them to showcase their talent without it being the typical basketball team, volleyball team. There's something that's really on the rise with flag football."
Much like how Coach Jones was a mentor for Coach Mack, just maybe, one of the girls at Imhotep will be influenced to follow the lead of both women – one of whom is the Philadelphia Eagles Girls Flag Football High School Coach of the Week.
"I'm really humbled because we didn't win," Mack said. "It just shows the fact that I'm being seen. You think that, 'Hey, I'm out here coaching. We coach these girls and then the season's over. What's next?'
"You prepare for the next season, but you don't look at the fact that maybe your colleagues or your peers look at you as a person that is someone that should be awarded Coach of the Week. So I feel good about it. My school community is excited. I'm just happy that I can continue to be a force in regard to helping the girls succeed in the sport of flag football."
