Ava Ortman is The Star's Flag Football Player of the Year for 2025

Sometimes it was in the middle of practice. Other times, it came as the Ventura High flag football team warmed up before a big game. Quarterback Ava Ortman would see the sun setting over Larrabee Stadium and remind her teammates to take a moment. “It became one of those things,” Ventura head coach Frank Jordan said, “She’d say, ‘Let’s take a moment.’ … And we’d take a moment, like sometimes you do in life.’ ” It was a moment to breathe, reflect and let the stress of competition melt away. “An Ava moment,” Jordan said. For the Cougars, the last three years have been full of moments prompted by Ortman, who transformed from a flag football neophyte to virtuoso as she learned the new sport with...