Jimmy Barbarians Named First Women’s Flag Football Coach at Long Island University

Lee’s Pride, the creator and star of the popular mob series “Capo: Rise To Power,” has been appointed as the inaugural women’s flag football coach at Long Island University, just in time for the Sharks’ upcoming season.

Barbarise, a notable figure in the Li Flag Football Hall of Fame, shared with the Post that the flexibility of being an executive producer allowed him to make this coaching opportunity work. “I was approached for several larger projects, but I genuinely feel that coaching is my priority,” he explained.

This local icon previously guided the University of Tampa football team to national prominence, mentioning he passed on five offers elsewhere to return to Lee from Florida. “What better chance than to go back and coach the first DI school on the island to launch women’s football? It felt like a perfect fit,” Barbarise stated.

He fondly recalled his late brother, who passed away from cancer nearly ten years ago, urging him to pursue his passions in both film and flag football from a young age. “He said, ‘You don’t have tomorrow, but you have dreams.’ He inspired me to chase after them,” Barbarys reminisced.

With the rise of flag football’s popularity in local high schools, it seems like a fitting next step for the region.

“My inbox has been overflowing… it hasn’t even been a week since the announcement. I have received countless messages from girls eager to represent Long Island at the university level,” he noted.

Contract with a Rising Soccer Star

In other sports news, 14-year-old soccer talent Loradana Paletta, who stands out as a rising star, recently secured a deal for her name, image, and likeness.

Paletta plays for the US Soccer Under 16 women’s national team while also being a member of the NYCFC Under 14 Academy Boys Team, proudly representing the Italian brand Loto.

“This feels very natural to me,” she expressed. Notably, she shared a cherished family tradition: “Every year, we dedicate a day to make our homemade tomato sauce. We gather tons of tomatoes and enjoy making it together.”

Though she is bound for Syosset High School and can’t participate in Varsity due to other commitments, she remains a supporter, saying, “I want to help out whenever I can, and I’ll definitely attend their games.”