Swanson: Girls flag football forges fresh perspectives, unlikely bonds
At Lakewood, the inaugural season united an eclectic group of first-time players, including deaf QB Jennifer Reed
Jennifer Reed, left, a junior quarterback on Lakewood High’s girls flag football team who is hearing impaired, looks to Karen Sexton, a sign language interpreter, as coach Leilani Utupo, center, speaks to the team before a game against Jordan High on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
LAKEWOOD — In the market for universal coverage? Sports has got you.
You’re winning with the Olympics and the World Cup. Winning whenever a guy from Akron, Ohio, defends a guy from Sombor, Serbia. With every unlikely bromance like the ones between former Dodgers Hyun Jin Ryu and Juan Uribe or former Clippers Tobias Harris and Boban Marjanovic.
You’re winning when lines blur between social scenes like this fall at high schools throughout Southern California, the natural and probably not altogether unintended consequence of introducing a new sport – girls flag football became CIF-sanctioned this year – to a diverse campus like Lakewood High School.
Girls who ran track teamed up with girls who played basketball, and girls who never played a sport at all ran plays with girls who long dreamed of playing football like their brothers.
This wasn’t a group that grew up running in the same AYSO circles or competing against each other on the club softball circuit. And it’s not like they all grew up playing Pop Warner together.
A lot of these Lancers were largely strangers.
And now they’re not.
“If it wasn’t for the team, we wouldn’t have met each other, so that’s honestly a good highlight of it,” said Daniela Luna, a sophomore snapper. “And, like, we’re seeing our scenes differently, because we’re hanging out during school now, too.”
“We’re all from different groups of campus and we come out here and practice, it’s just a different vibe,” said Jaela Baker, a junior. “Just different experiences, learning about different backgrounds and stuff, getting the pleasure to know the girls is just really nice.”
Sabreen Aubrey, left, high-fives Jennifer Reed, right, a junior quarterback on Lakewood High’s girls flag football team who is hearing impaired, during a game against Jordan High on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
“I just feel like we’ve become a family, they’re my friends, they’re my team, and LHS, this is our school, we have to represent,” said Jennifer Reed, a junior quarterback, through sign language interpreter Shannon Schaller.
Reed, who is deaf, played a sport for the first time this season – which ended this week with games against Long Beach Jordan and Long Beach Wilson.
Reed started both games at quarterback for the junior varsity team, which beat Jordan, 28-19, on Wednesday and Wilson, 14-0, on Thursday. (Lakewood’s varsity squad split, defeating Jordan, 27-0, and falling to Wilson, 20-13.)
At practice Monday, Reed was one of three quarterbacks throwing passes during route-running drills. Her arm strength was almost as noticeable as her smile, which seemed never to fade – except while she had to impatiently wait her turn to jump into a raucous game of sharks and minnows.
Spent Monday at Lakewood High School watching flag football practice and meeting some of the players on a most eclectic team. One of the stars: Jennifer Reed, a deaf quarterback and very cool kid. Column to come. pic.twitter.com/Opts3DkNNU
Reed said she’s learned lots and lots of plays this season. And her teammates will tell you she taught them lots and lots about how to communicate with someone who can’t hear.
Because you don’t realize how often a coach asks a team to listen – “Hey, listen, for those who just got here …” or “Listen to the rules!” – until you, well, listen for it.
“At the beginning it was frustrating,” Baker said. “Because at the time I didn’t know she was hearing impaired, so I had to correct myself and apologize.
“She doesn’t talk, she claps, and sometimes you can’t hear because out here, it’s loud … but you just have to adapt to it, look at her and adapt. Being able to adapt to other people, and just to adapt in general, I think that’s been good, definitely.”
Jennifer Reed, center, a junior quarterback on Lakewood High’s girls flag football team who is hearing impaired, looks to Karen Sexton, left, a sign language interpreter, before a game against Jordan High on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Sasha Blackburn, a sprinter turned safety, said she started learning sign language in the fifth grade and has since taken three years of it in high school. So she said she’s done a share of translating between Reed and the rest of the team, too.
“She’s nice, I like being able to talk to her, not making her feel left out,” Blackburn said. “Or if someone else needs to communicate with her, they’ll be like, ‘Can you sign for me?’”
Jennifer Reed (40), a junior quarterback on Lakewood High’s girls flag football team who is hearing impaired, looks to Karen Sexton, right, a sign language interpreter, before a game against Jordan High on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
On Monday afternoon, Schaller was doing most of the translating. In a black dress and sandals, she stood in the middle of a field of football players on Monday afternoon, interpreting everything said by coach Leilani Utupo and the girls with flags flapping around their waists – including the colorful stuff. This is a football team, after all.
“When she came out, she had no fear in her,” Utupo said of Reed, who moved up the depth chart as the season progressed. “So she tried out for quarterback, and she has done really well.”
Said Reed: “I just wanted to be a part of a team.”
And she is, fitting in with an eclectic group of almost 30 players, young women who have some important attributes in common – starting with a shared fearlessness. The guts to try something hard and new, even as some families were less supportive of the endeavor than others, those girls showed up anyway, Utupo said. As Baker described her team: “Very headstrong – when they want it, they want it, simple as that.”
The Lakewood High girls flag football team chants before a game against Jordan High on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Lakewood. Lakewood went on to win the game. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Her dad was a football coach and her husband, Justin, is the head coach of Lakewood’s 11-man football team – for which Leilani serves as strength and conditioning coach. She remembers a female kicker on one of her dad’s teams, but he never coached a player who was hearing impaired, she said.
And she quite likes the idea that nothing should impede a young woman from taking on a new challenge and trying something she might love. From meeting and learning about people she wouldn’t otherwise, if not for a brand-new flag football team.
“No matter how different or far off it is in other people’s eyes,” Utupo said. “If it was instilled in your heart, there’s a reason, you know?”
Coach Leilani Utupo, center, of the Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team, celebrates Dimiah Williams interception and touchdown against Jordan High School on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. Lakewood won the game. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jimena Cervantes, left, of Jordan High School, breaks up a pass intended for Jaela Baker, right, of Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team, during a game on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team celebrates a touchdown against Jordan High School on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. Lakewood won the game. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kennedy Mortz, left, of the Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team, runs past the reach of Leanna Saenz, right, of Jordan High School as teammate Ma’Ryah King, center, looks on, during a game on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. Lakewood won the game. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
E’laijah Shellmire, left, of the Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team, runs past Katelyn Garcia, right, of Jordan High School on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. Lakewood won the game. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Nevaeh Thedford of the Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team, carries the ball past a defender from Jordan High School on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. Lakewood won the game. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Members of the Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team pose for a team photo on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Lakewood High girls flag football team chants before a game against Jordan High on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Lakewood. Lakewood went on to win the game. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kari Davis, left, of the Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team congratulates teammate Dimiah Williams following an interception and touchdown against Jordan High School on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. Lakewood won the game. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dionna Bradley, center, of the Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team, attempts to get by the defenders from Jordan High School on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. Lakewood won the game. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
E’laijah Shellmire, center, of the Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team, carries the ball past defenders from Jordan High School on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. Lakewood won the game. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Arianna Williams, right, of Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team, goes up for the ball along with Kimberly Reed, of Jordan High School on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Coach Leilani Utupo of the Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team congratulates Jaela Baker following a touchdown against Jordan High School on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. Lakewood won the game. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Maliyah Gray, left, of Jordan High School moves in on Kennedy Mortz, right, of the Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team, during a game on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. Lakewood won the game. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jennifer Reed, a junior quarterback on Lakewood High’s girls flag football team who is hearing impaired, warms up before a game against Jordan High on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ma’Ryah King of Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team, waits on the sideline to enter the game against Jordan High School on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jennifer Reed, a junior quarterback on Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team, who is hearing impaired, drops back to pass during a game against Jordan High School on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jennifer Reed, a junior quarterback on Lakewood High’s girls flag football team who is hearing impaired, takes the snap during a game against Jordan High on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jennifer Reed, center, a junior on Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team, who is hearing impaired, runs down field during a game against Jordan High School on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Sabreen Aubrey, left, high-fives Jennifer Reed, right, a junior quarterback on Lakewood High’s girls flag football team who is hearing impaired, during a game against Jordan High on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jennifer Reed, left, a junior quarterback on Lakewood High’s girls flag football team who is hearing impaired, looks to Karen Sexton, a sign language interpreter, as coach Leilani Utupo, center, speaks to the team before a game against Jordan High on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jennifer Reed, center, a junior quarterback on Lakewood High’s girls flag football team who is hearing impaired, looks to Karen Sexton, left, a sign language interpreter, before a game against Jordan High on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jennifer Reed, a junior quarterback on Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team, who is hearing impaired, looks to Karen Sexton, left, a sign language interpreter, prior to a game against Jordan High School on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jennifer Reed (40), a junior quarterback on Lakewood High’s girls flag football team who is hearing impaired, looks to Karen Sexton, right, a sign language interpreter, before a game against Jordan High on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jennifer Reed, a junior quarterback on Lakewood High School’s girls flag football team, who is hearing impaired, warms up prior to a game against Jordan High School on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in Lakewood. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Lakewood girls flag football coach Leilani Utupo on being a role model for girls and women who are interested in playing and coaching football. @LKWDFOOTBALLpic.twitter.com/LsVu02TOxN
