We Run This House: The Girls’ Guide to Flag Football

Gr 7-10–More kids play flag football in the U.S. than play the tackle variety, in part because it requires less equipment, is safer, and is open to a wider range of kids. The sport will debut at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, and AnnaSofia Dickens will be ready. The author is a high schooler from California and wide receiver for a number-one ranked team in Orange County. She also wrote and recorded “We Run This House,” a “pop theme song” for the NFL’s Females in Flag promotion. In addition to an outline of the sport, Dickens lays out some athletic psychology, stresses self-discipline and responsibility (make sure you get your homework and chores done), and describes extensive training exercises and drills organized by position. The text is punctuated by interviews with players of both flag and tackle football, including Mexican national team captain and QB Diana Flores and veteran tackle and TV commentator Andrew Whitworth. The interviews can be watched on YouTube.