LIU riding wave of women's flag football with help of Jets, Jimmy Barbarise
Share this @internewscast.com

“Capo: Rise to Power,” the hit mob series by Jimmy Barbarise, may be in the midst of filming its second season, but the show’s lead actor has his sights set on a different kind of drama. Barbarise is stepping into a new role as the head coach for the inaugural season of Long Island University Sharks women’s flag football team.

“When I have calls with the team’s parents, their questions often aren’t about flag football,” Barbarise chuckled in an interview with The Post.

“They always start with, ‘I watched the show and loved it. When is Season 2 coming out?’ and I have to remind them, ‘Let’s focus on discussing your daughter, shall we?'” he added, noting that he often gifts signed posters to the families of the players.

Originally from Centereach, Barbarise has a notable coaching record, having led the University of Tampa to a third-place national ranking. He’s also a member of the Long Island flag football Hall of Fame. This year marks a significant step as he joins the Long Island University Sharks team.

Thanks to a generous $1 million contribution from the New York Jets and their Betty Wold Johnson Foundation, LIU’s Eastern College Athletic Conference is launching the largest collegiate flag football league in the country, featuring 15 teams.

The New York Jets and their Betty Wold Johnson Foundation kicked in a healthy $1M to LIU’s Eastern College Athletic Conference to launch America’s largest collegiate flag football league of 15 teams.

Sweetening the deal, championships for the coveted “Betty” trophy will be played at MetLife Stadium starting in 2027 when the World Cup concludes.

“It’s so surreal,” said wideout E’lise Lyrse during the league’s massive media day at The Meadowlands.

“I’ve never seen people come together for a sport like this,” added the sophomore who moved from LIU’s rowing team to try her luck on the gridiron.

Getting their button 

Lyrse isn’t the only flag football newcomer repping the Sharks this season, as Barbarise’s team has only four women with prior experience.

“We’re really starting from scratch,” the head coach admitted, saying he opened the books to anyone.

“I sat in the common area and asked people if they wanted to play football… we had players asking roommates.”

But sharks are born swimming.

The mob man picked two experienced first years as his football family’s captains to get newbies ready: High school teammates at Valley Stream, running back Ryann Blount and cornerback Sophia Songveeratham.

Blount said they “would run our own little clinics” that taught the basics of the 7-on-7 game, like route running, plus lots of conditioning.

“Months before coach was even on campus, we were training just on the grass, just running around in the dark — just doing everything we could to get any progress,” added Lyrse, who described the group as inseparable.

When asked how many players watch Barbarise’s show, the captains hilariously declined to comment.

“I swear we’ll get to it,” Blount said.

Made for this 

While the first season may be a building year, Songveeratham is confident that Long Island’s explosive high school flag football landscape will certainly pad out the roster moving forward.

“We had about 26 seniors on the team,” she said of her senior year at Valley Stream.

“It’s so impressive how the programs have been growing so much over the Island. … I want to see how much this can go, and I can’t wait.”

Barbarise added that the local hotbed is making his job easier as well.

“A lot of them have reached out,” he said. “I’ve got a road map to recruits.”

But the Sharks — one of the loudest teams at the Jets media day — don’t plan on waiting to show the flag football world what they’re made of come game one vs. Mercy on St. Patrick’s Day.

“I know my team, I know we can do it,” said Blount. “Watch out for the new kids on the block.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Son of Iranian tyrant suffers dramatic end to pampered LA life

Iranian Leader’s Son Faces Abrupt Conclusion to Luxurious Los Angeles Lifestyle

The family of Seyed Eissa Hashemi initially feared a kidnapping when he…
NYC's East Village furious over Mamdani 'emergency order' sticking it with planned men shelters

Outrage in East Village: Mamdani’s Emergency Order Sparks Controversy Over New Men’s Shelters

Residents of the East Village are expressing outrage over Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s…
Trump and Pakistan military chief have 'personal understanding'

Revealed: Inside the Unprecedented Personal Alliance Between Trump and Pakistan’s Military Chief

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan has taken on the role of mediator for…
LA's top federal prosecutor makes staggering claim about scale of California fraud

California Fraud Scandal Unveiled: LA’s Chief Prosecutor Reveals Massive Scope of Deception

California has been rocked by revelations of a significant Medi-Cal fraud scheme,…
Florida GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna files motion to expel Eric Swalwell from Congress

Florida GOP’s Anna Paulina Luna Seeks to Expel Eric Swalwell from Congress: Unprecedented Motion Filed

Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida, has announced her intention…
Murder suspect on ICE hold accused of luring teen into death trap where victim’s final plea went unheard

Community Outcry Intensifies Over Alleged Teen Execution by Illegal Immigrant Amid ‘Invasion’ Claims

The tragic death of a 15-year-old boy in Missouri, who pleaded for…
3 more Iranian nationals with ties to Islamic regime arrested while living lavishly in LA

Three Iranian Nationals with Alleged Links to Islamic Regime Detained Amid Luxurious Los Angeles Lifestyle

In a recent crackdown, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revoked the…
Popular white rice facing nationwide recall over 'foreign material'

Nationwide Recall Issued for Popular White Rice Due to ‘Foreign Material’ Contamination

A widely recognized rice brand found in stores nationwide is being pulled…
Slashing suspect shot by police after injuring 3 at Grand Central subway station in New York

Breaking News: Police Intervene in Grand Central Subway Attack – Suspect Shot After Injuring Three

NEW YORK — A tense situation unfolded at New York City’s Grand…
Pope Leo calls out 'delusion of omnipotence' fueling Iran war in vigil for peace at St. Peter's Basilica

Pope Leo Condemns ‘Illusion of Power’ Behind Iran Conflict During St. Peter’s Peace Vigil

Pope Leo delivered a poignant message during a Saturday vigil for peace,…
Top bars in the West are crowned — and California dominates the rankings

California Bars Lead the Pack as Top Venues in the West are Announced

Raise your glasses! California has dominated a new list celebrating the finest…
Three word secret code revealed that would pull Savannah Guthrie off the air

Revealed: The Secret Code That Could Remove Savannah Guthrie from Airwaves

Prepared for a sudden exit. NBC has devised a backup strategy for…