• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

American Gold Sports Alliance

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Media
    • Featured News
    • Diversity and Inclusion Committee
    • Youth Advisory Committee
    • Wrestling for Gold Initiative
  • Raffles
  • Radiosport
  • Try Cricket
  • Athlete of the Month
  • Camps
  • Join Our Team
    • Richard Montgomery Wrestling
    • Richard Montgomery Girls Lacrosse
  • Donate
    • Giving Tuesday
  • Contact Us

Southern California high school girls’ flag football teams make official debut as popularity continues to rise

September 19, 2023 by Tara S

Southern California high school girls’ flag football teams make official debut as popularity continues to rise

By:  Will Conybeare, Patrick O’Connor | KTLA5

Thousand Oaks and Agoura High Schools have been battling on the gridiron since the 1960s in boys football, but a new group of players took to the field on Thursday.

Girls flag football was recently sanctioned as a high school sport in California after a unanimous vote from the California Interscholastic Federation last spring.

According to Thousand Oaks High School girls football head coach Mike Leibin, the program was popular from the start. 

“The second day we got out here, we had 51 girls,” he said. “Obviously there’s a big interest…it’s popped up at virtually every school.”

Coaches aren’t the only ones going all in on the gridiron; the girls are having a blast too. 

“It’s nice to have another opportunity and learn new skills,” said Morgan Humphrey, who plays running back and strong safety for Thousand Oaks. 

Unlike the boys, there is no blocking, tackling or kicking in the girls’ game. Teams play seven-on-seven on an 80-yard field, and when a touchdown is scored, the girls can either attempt a one-point conversion play from the three yard line or a two-point conversion play from 10 yards out.

Other than that, it’s just football, trash talk included. 

“You can definitely hear a little bit of trash talking here and there,” said Humphrey, who now holds the school record with three interceptions in one game. “But I think that’s fun.” 

Southern California girls flag football teams make official debut
Thousand Oaks High School girls flag football coach Mike Leibin addresses his team in Thousand Oaks, California on Sept. 15, 2023. (KTLA)

The playbooks traditionally used by high school boys football teams translate well to the girls, evidenced by a well-executed hook-and-ladder by Thousand Oaks that resulted in a 40-yard gain.

“On offense, we’re running four verticals, tosses and sweeps,” Leibin said. “On defense, we play a true cover two…all stuff that translates to the boys’ game.”

Leibin, who spent 10 of his 25 years as a head coach in Ventura County with the Thousand Oaks High School’s boys team, says that he loves his new role as head of the girls team, and he credits that to being the father of two daughters.

Despite stepping down as Thousand Oaks’ head coach in 2018 so he could spend time with his daughters, Leibin knew he had to jump at the opportunity to coach the girls. 

“Somebody came out to practice [and said] ‘I can tell instantly that when you’re coaching those girls, you’re talking to your daughters’,” he said. “So, that’s definitely helped.” 

There were some struggles at the beginning; Leibin and assistant coach Jason Brown recall having to teach the girls — many of whom are experienced athletes in other sports — some of the basic fundamentals of football.

“We had to teach them how to catch,” Leibin said. “I have a ton of great soccer players on my team who have never used their hands in their life!”

And while the boys’ side of high school football has grown into a multi-million-dollar industry, these girls just want to have fun.

“They aren’t out here trying to get a scholarship,” Leibin said. “They’re out here in the purest form…they want to come out and compete and learn a sport and play together, and as a coach, that’s the dream.” 

get a scholarship,” Leibin said. “They’re out here in the purest form…they want to come out and compete and learn a sport and play together, and as a coach, that’s the dream.”

Filed Under: Flag Football, Youth Sports

Primary Sidebar

Donate Here!

Categories

Featured Posts

Introducing the Vulcan Pickleball Line in Support of the AGSA!

… [Read More...] about Introducing the Vulcan Pickleball Line in Support of the AGSA!

Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Names WNBA Trio to Class of 2025

… [Read More...] about Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Names WNBA Trio to Class of 2025

2026 Expansion Team Denver Breaks NWSL Ticket Sales Record

… [Read More...] about 2026 Expansion Team Denver Breaks NWSL Ticket Sales Record

Archives

  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • February 2023
  • November 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • June 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Raffles
  • Radiosport
  • Try Cricket
  • Athlete of the Month
  • Camps
  • Join Our Team
  • Donate
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2025 American Gold Sports Alliance Inc.

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy