Flanked by her father Dextra Polite and mother Katrina Polite, D’Zeriyah Polite signs to play flag football at Point University.

MOULTRIE — When it was announced that Colquitt County would field its first flag football team in 2023, coach Kirk Woodall did not have to seek out D’Zeriyah Polite, a Lady Packer basketball player with a gridiron pedigree.

“No, I didn’t have to recruit her,” Woodall said. “She contacted me.”

And Polite went on to become an All-Area selection and helped the first group of Lady Packers to post an 11-1-1 record.

She also signed on Tuesday to join teammate Nyleigha Knighton and play collegiately at Point University.

Polite was also an outstanding defensive player who earned All-Region recognition while helping lead the Lady Packers basketball team to a 23-6 record last season.

She said she might walk on and try to play for the Skyhawks basketball team, but it appears unlikely, although her dad thinks she might be able to earn a scholarship in that sport as well.

Like her father, former Packer and Clemson University football star and Colquitt County Sports Hall of Fame member Dextra Polite, and older brother Dextra Polite Jr., D’Zeriyah loves her football.

“I’ve been wanting to play since I was in elementary school,” she said.

And her dad helped prepare her, taking her out for early morning training sessions that led to the development of her extraordinary speed.

Woodall said the best piece of 2023 game film of D’Zeriyah is of her racing to track down a Lowndes ball carrier.

“She can run,” Dextra said. “And she’s always had a ball in her hand.”

She also has another Polite trait.

“She’s like me. She hates losing,” Dextra said. “She’s very competitive. I knew she was going to be pretty good.”

Even on flag football game days, when Dextra was trying to be a parent, his natural desire to coach came out.

“He was in the stands, telling me what to do,” said a smiling D’Zeriyah, who hopes to play receiver and cornerback for the Skyhawks.

She plans to major in biology at Point, which is located just south of LaGrange, and after her receiving her bachelor’s degree, hopes continue her education and go into nursing.