This week on Tamara Tries, News Channel 13’s Tamara Starr took on a fast-paced and energetic challenge—playing flag football with the Russell Sage College women’s team. But did she have what it takes to make the roster?

Flag football is a no-contact version of the classic American sport, relying on speed, agility, and strategy. The Russell Sage women’s team takes the game seriously, and Tamara was ready to step up and learn the ropes.

Unlike traditional football, players stop a play by pulling flags from an opponent’s belt rather than tackling. Tamara also worked on her throwing skills, learning the fundamentals of passing the ball with precision.

Russell Sage College is also making history by launching an intercollegiate women’s flag football team. As a member of the Empire 8 conference, Sage will begin competing next spring against teams like SUNY Brockport, Elmira College, Hartwick College, and SUNY Geneseo.

Empire 8 is just the third Division III conference to introduce women’s flag football and the fifth across all NCAA divisions. Recognized as an emerging sport for women by the NCAA, the program is still in its early stages, with Sage actively searching for a head coach to be in place by July. The team will begin practice in the fall, with its inaugural season kicking off in spring 2026.