Jimmy Barbarise Takes Helm as LIU Women’s Flag Football Coach
Jimmy Barbarise has stepped into a new role, one that blends his passion for sports with his creative background. The Centereach native, recognized as the creator and star of the acclaimed mob series “Capo: Rise to Power,” has been named the inaugural head coach for the women’s flag football team at Long Island University, just in time for the Sharks’ first season.
“The beauty of being the executive producer is that I can fit this into my schedule,” Barbarise remarked, highlighting his commitment to coaching. An inductee into the Long Island flag football hall of fame, he has turned down several major television opportunities to focus on this new venture. “Coaching is really important to me,” he emphasized.
Barbarise, who previously led the University of Tampa team to a top-three national ranking, made a significant decision to return to Long Island, rejecting five other offers. “What would be a better opportunity than to go back home and coach the first D-I school offering women’s football on the island? It was just a perfect match,” he stated, reflecting on his journey from writing alternate endings to “The Godfather” as a child to now shaping young athletes.
His late brother, who passed away from cancer nearly ten years ago, played a pivotal role in reigniting Barbarise’s childhood dreams. “He said, ‘There’s no tomorrow for me, but you’ve always had a dream,’” Barbarise recalled. “He encouraged me to go chase that.”
As he embarks on this coaching journey, Barbarise aims to assemble a formidable roster. The growing reputation of Long Island as a flag football powerhouse at the high school level bodes well for recruitment. “I’m already inundated with inboxes and the announcement isn’t even a week old... I have hundreds of messages from girls who want to stay home [on Long Island] and play flag on the college level,” he shared.
In another exciting development in local sports, 14-year-old soccer sensation Loradana Paletta has secured her first name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal. The midfielder, who plays for both the U.S. Soccer under-16 girls national team and the NYCFC youth under-14 academy boys team, has partnered with the Italian sportswear brand Lotto.
“This just feels really natural,” Paletta expressed, proudly embracing her Italian heritage. She reminisced about her family’s annual tradition of making homemade tomato sauce together. “Once a year, my family has one special day just to make tomato sauce — homemade tomato sauce. We would gather buckets of tomatoes, we would clean them, and we all would spend quality time together.”
Although she will not be able to play varsity soccer due to her other commitments, Paletta remains enthusiastic about supporting her peers. “I’d love to give them pointers here and there, and I would definitely go and watch their games,” she said, showcasing her dedication to both her sport and her community.
