AISHAT HASSAN NAMED USA FOOTBALL & MAXPREPS GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL FLAG FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

NEWARK, N.J. — April 17, 2025 — Central High School junior defensive back Aishat Hassan is the USA Football & MaxPreps Girls High School Flag Football Player of the Week for April 7–13. Hassan led the Central Blue Devils to a 3-0 record during the week, holding opponents to only 30 combined points.  

Central defeated the Newark Collegiate Academy Panthers, Wayne Valley Indians and Weequahic Indians during the week, advancing to a then 3-1 record. Hassan authored three standout performances on defense, amassing 20 flag pulls, four sacks and four pass breakups.  

Hassan’s big week included multi-sack performances against Newark Collegiate Academy and Weequahic. She also broke up multiple passes against Wayne Valley and Weequahic. Hassan currently leads Central with eight sacks this season and is second on the team in tackles per game.  

As the Player of the Week, Hassan will receive a complimentary opportunity to be further evaluated through USA Football’s National Team Development Program at a Talent ID Camp in the spring or fall. The development program is part of the premier pathway to USA Football’s U.S. National Teams, which represent our country in international competitions such as World Championships and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Athletes who attend the National Team Development Program’s Talent ID Camp are eligible to receive invitations to future U.S. National Teams Trials. 

USA Football is the sport’s governing body in the United States and the organization that selects, trains and leads the U.S. National Teams that represent our country in international competitions, including the 2028 Olympics. USA Football partnered with MaxPreps to start the Girls High School Flag Football Player of the Week award and continue to bring attention to the exploding popularity of flag football throughout the country.  

USA Football and MaxPreps will announce award winners during the fall and spring high school girls’ flag football seasons based on game statistics entered by coaches into MaxPreps.  

This award celebrates the achievements of the athletes who are helping to drive flag football at the high school level. USA Football research shows more than 1.6 million athletes ages 6-17 played the sport in 2023, representing a 38.2% increase in participation over the past decade. Much of that growth is being driven by girls and women. Participation among girls ages 6-12 increased by approximately 222% from 2014 to 2023.  

Opportunities for girls and women to play flag football competitively for high school and college programs are increasing. Thirteen states sanction girls’ flag football as a varsity sport for current or future seasons. Women’s flag football at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) level features college scholarships and a national championship.   

DB AISHAT HASSAN, CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL (NEWARK, N.J.)  

• Hassan recorded multiple sacks against Newark Collegiate Academy and Weequahic.  

• Hassan broke up two passes against both Wayne Valley and Weequahic.  

• Hassan led Central with eight tackles against Weequahic. 

• Hassan leads Central with eight sacks this season.  

SPRING 2025 FLAG FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK WINNERS   

WEEK 1 – JILLIAN TRUAX, SPRUCE CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, PORT ORANGE, FLA. 

FALL 2024 FLAG FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK WINNERS   

WEEK 1 – DEJA SMITH, ST. MARY’S ACADEMY, INGLEWOOD, CALIF. 

WEEK 2 – KATIA SLAMA, KING CITY HIGH SCHOOL, KING CITY, CALIF. 

WEEK 3 – BREANA SAUNDERS, MILLENNIUM HIGH SCHOOL, GOODYEAR, ARIZ. 

WEEK 4 – BREN DAVID, MILPITAS HIGH SCHOOL, MILPITAS, CALIF. 

WEEK 5 – VICTORY BRAGG, SAINT MARY’S HIGH SCHOOL, STOCKTON, CALIF. 

WEEK 6 – SERENITY HICKMAN, COLUMBUS HIGH SCHOOL, COLUMBUS, GA. 

WEEK 7 – JULISSA ISLAS, ALHAMBRA HIGH SCHOOL, MARTINEZ, CALIF. 

About USA Football: USA Football is the National Governing Body (NGB) for American Football in the United States and the sole U.S. member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), the international governing body for the sport of American football. USA Football selects, trains and leads Team USA in tackle and flag football disciplines, while delivering world-class football development resources, sport standards and competitive opportunities to empower athletes at every level. USA Football is committed to ensuring every athlete has access to develop and compete in the game through safer, inclusive and innovative pathways. For more information, visit USAFootball.com. 

About MaxPreps: MaxPreps is the nation’s leading high school sports destination, offering fans the most comprehensive coverage with the latest scores, statistics, news, rankings, photos, and more. MaxPreps aspires to cover every high school team, game and player by partnering with more than 100,000 coaches throughout the country. A unit of Paramount and a CBSSports.com site, MaxPreps was founded in August 2002 and is headquartered in El Dorado Hills, Calif. For more information about MaxPreps, please visit www.maxpreps.com.