November 18, 2025 —  Osborne High School senior Khamiyah Poindexter sees it differently than most on a flag football field. Many times, players will stand at the line of scrimmage surveying the opposing side. What they see are defenses guarding the end zone or offensive lines protecting the quarterback. The obstacles can be daunting. For Khamiyah, the defense is merely an opportunity to overcome, and offensive blockers serve as a reminder of support. This outlook comes from her experience. It’s a result of wins and losses—though the wins are not always reflected on the scoreboard, and the losses have been more profound than a game result.

Wins for the Osborne flag football team are celebrated gleefully. The program is only in its second varsity season after all. Khamiyah is a veteran and key component for the Cardinals on the field, but the intangibles she provides may be of greater value. Constantly encouraging, cheering, and even coaching, it’s hard to miss her passion. 

“I love the family that flag football brings,” the center, slot receiver, linebacker, and occasional quarterback said, “and I love the energy, the motivation, and the compassion.”

Family and compassion could be considered wins. Both are deeply meaningful to Khamiyah. Some of the family she built through flag football was formed through her travel team, Tag Team Elite. Coached by Dr. Ormond Moore, this team participated in tournaments across the United States, traveling as far as California and earned scoreboard wins and championship trophies.

“Khamiyah is the true definition of a team player,” said Dr. Moore, who is also an Assistant Principal and Athletic Director at South Cobb High School. “She loves to see people around her do well.”

In September 2023, during her sophomore year, Khamiyah was the one playing well in the USA Flag Orlando Open tournament. Well enough, in fact, that she was awarded as the Player of the Game by USA Flag for an outstanding performance as a rusher. Excited to share this news, she tried calling her oldest sister, Erica, after the game. This is when she found out that Erica had passed away unexpectedly in her sleep. It was a loss more devastating than anything experienced in competition.  

Erica was 22 when Khamiyah was born and helped raise her “baby sister,” as did sister Imarii, who has 17 years on their high school sibling. The three shared a bond built on love and unwavering support — a closeness rooted in the care of their mom, Tammy Poindexter.

“Warriors are born,” Imarii said when describing Khamiyah’s reaction to the loss of their oldest sister. “That experience made her dig deep to find out what she was made of.”

Opportunity to Overcome

Khamiyah’s love for flag football was an immediate antidote. A defender standing between her and the goal line was now much less of a concern.

“Flag football was my escape,” the warrior said. “I didn’t want to just sit at home and let things rest on top of me. I knew I needed to keep going.”

She poured herself into her to-do list, including volunteering as a team manager for the Osborne football team. Madelyn Chadwell is the certified athletic trainer that Khamiyah worked with during those Osborne football evenings. 

“Khamiyah is just one of those special people that you want to rally around and lift up because she is already doing that for so many people,” Chadwell remembered. “She dealt with her grief with so much grace. She never once used it as an excuse to fall off her path of pursuing her goals and dreams.”

Several months later, as her sophomore year was ending, Khamiyah again suffered a terrible loss when her mom, Tammy, passed away suddenly around Mother’s Day.

Full Force Support System

Sergeant James Bryant of the Cobb County School District Police was the Campus Police Officer at Osborne during this time. He had developed a rapport with Khamiyah and her mom after Erica’s passing. When Tammy died, he stepped up to offer help.

“There were days that she showed up at school in tears, and I would pull her to the side and give her a hug,” Sgt. Bryant said about that time. “I’d ask her why she even came to school. Her reply would be that she was able to cope better at school, around her friends. I think having more people to interact with at school occupied her mind enough to avoid thinking as much about her loss.”

Khamiyah appreciates how her Osborne family cared for her.

“You never know how much people are with you until something like this happens,” she said when talking about how much support she received from her school connections. “I was surprised and very thankful.”

Imarii, now Khamiyah’s legal guardian, gives Osborne a lot of credit for helping her sister through that time.

“The support that she has received through Osborne High School is unmatched,” Imarii said in praise. “Her support there feels like an extended family. Although she experienced one of the toughest things in one’s life, with the support of her Osborne coaches, friends, teammates, and bandmates, she’s able to keep her promise to our mother and sister to keep going and finish what she started.”

When asked how Osborne’s staff stood by her during this difficult time, Khamiyah rattles off a list of those who were keeping an eye out for her. She named her counselors, teachers, coaches, case managers, her athletic director, and percussion instructor. So many were there to hold her up and carry her through.

“Their standards didn’t drop, but they never pressured me,” Khamiyah said when reflecting on that time. “They weren’t overbearing. I was still able to be a kid, and I was really glad about that.”

It was as if the flag football center, who steps back to block for her quarterback at times, had a team of educators protecting her now. 

Determination to Inspiration

Khamiyah’s support system is deep and varied. That’s due, in large part, to how active she had become. Besides her flag football family, she is also involved in Osborne’s “Red Sea of Sound” drumline, the yearbook committee, and the JROTC program. In addition to being a football manager, she is a member of the track and field team and a trainee in the Cobb County Police Cadet Program. The way in which she has handled her full plate in the shadow of what she has been through has inspired those around her.

“She has been an inspiration to many, including myself,” her travel coach, Dr. Moore, said. “If this young lady can lose so much in such a short amount of time and keep pushing, there's no way I can give up on anything.”

Dr. LaQue Perkins agrees that Khamiyah is a guiding light. Khamiyah says Dr. Perkins is like a godmother to her. Besides providing motherly advice at times, they console each other in loss as Dr. Perkins’ husband passed around the same time as the women in Khamiyah’s life.

“Her grace and determination in navigating life’s challenges continue to inspire me,” Dr. Perkins said. “Together, we reflect on how grief shapes our journey, the beauty of holding onto joyful memories, and the power of choosing life even in the hardest moments. She reminds us all that accepting help is not weakness but strength.”

Khamiyah puts it this way.

“I have my days,” she said when talking about missing her mom and sister Erica, “but I don’t want to live in those days. My mom taught me to never give up, no matter what. So, I keep pushing through. My sister, Imarii, is like the compass of my life. She guides me and makes sure I’m focused and still take time for myself.”

The losses Khamiyah has experienced haven’t stolen her spirit. To watch her play flag football is to witness a joy and energy that transcends the competition. She is a winner. Despite any scoreboard that says differently, Khamiyah Poindexter wins. There is no doubt she has won the hearts of many in the Osborne community. 

h/t non-branded photos courtesy Dr. Moore and Osborne High School