Mission Bay HS flag football player considers herself the true underdog story

SAN DIEGO (KGTV)— Mission Bay High School senior Mary Reger is one of the top flag football quarterbacks in San Diego. It’s a skill she says she learned at a young age from her dad.
“I guess when I was five years old he taught me how to throw a football, and he’s literally been my biggest supporter. I probably couldn’t throw the football the way I can if it wasn’t for him.”
However, Mary’s journey to becoming the Buccaneer’s star quarterback was not an easy one.
“When I was little my mom struggled with an illness called paranoid schizophrenia. So my grandparents kind of realized it wasn’t the best way for me to be living. They didn’t want me growing up in that type of environment.”
It was decided in Mary’s best interest she would go live with her grandparents. Unfortunately, that would only last ten years.
“My grandmother sadly got breast cancer so she made me move to my aunt and uncle’s. I’ve been living with them ever since, and they are my biggest supporters.”
From birth parents, to grandparents, to now living with her aunt and uncle. Mary says moving from home to home had a negative effect on her early childhood.
“I definitely felt a little bit of abandonment when I was going through housing. I had separation anxiety. I felt I always had to be independent and by myself, so I didn’t really want to lean on anybody else.”
Mary says she overcame that adversity thanks to friends and playing sports.
“Flag football really helped me push through all those challenges that I went through when I was a little girl.”
Now she is having quite the season for the Buccaneers as she is rated as one of the top quarterbacks in San Diego with 84 touchdown passes this season.
“I can throw the ball pretty far. I definitely like to throw the go routes to my top receivers. That would be one of the best routes I like to throw.”
I March Mary has been invited to the flag football combine as she pursues her dream of playing for the United States in the 2028 Olympic Games.