“The Future Is Fast: How 15-Year-Old AnnaSofia Dickens Is Rewriting Women’s Flag Football”

The Author and Wide Receiver Who’s Catching More Than Passes

23 Shot It

If you haven’t heard the name AnnaSofia Dickens, you will soon—probably on a scoreboard, a bestseller list, and, if destiny has anything to say about it, an Olympic roster.

At just 15, Dickens is a wide receiver and standout on the USA Football 16U Select Team, a singer-songwriter, and now the author of We Run This House—a guide, a manifesto, and a love letter to the fastest-growing girls’ sport in America.

She joined High School on SI to talk about football, music, the rise of girls’ flag, and how Taylor Swift, yes that Taylor Swift, helped spark a movement.

Growing Up in a Football House

Some kids learn to walk. AnnaSofia learned to run routes.

Raised in a family where football was as normal as morning cereal, Dickens joined her first team at age five—not a girls’ squad (there weren’t any), but her older brother’s team in the local Matt Leinart league - yes, THAT former USC/NFL Quarterback, Matt Leinart - that was coached by her dad.

Playing with boys shaped her competitive edge.

“I had to prove I belonged,” she said. “I was younger, I was a girl—everything felt like a challenge. But it made me who I am.”

Eventually, she formed a girls’ team with her soccer friends. They played in the boys’ division.
They won. A lot.

From Club Fields to National Teams

Dickens’ journey reads like a highlight reel:

• Started in former USC/NFL QB Matt Leinart Flag league
• Helped form the OC Seals club team
• Competed at national tournaments in Vegas and Ohio
• Attended a talent ID camp—earned MVP
• Selected for the U.S. Select Team
• Received an invitation to national team trials

All at 15 years old.

Balancing school, soccer, friendships, travel, and national-level competition might overwhelm most teenagers. Not Dickens.

“My friends play sports with me,” she laughed. “So technically I’m socializing—just while sprinting.”

Why Soccer Girls Make Fantastic Receivers

Dickens also grew up playing soccer—something she shares with “like 80% of flag players.”
The transition from pitch to field? Seamless.

“Speed, footwork, coordination—it all transfers,” she explained. “Football is way cooler, though.”

She prefers football by a mile—especially when she’s lining up out wide.

Inside the Mind of a Wide Receiver

Dickens breaks down the receiver role with the precision of a coach and the excitement of someone who genuinely loves her craft.

Receivers need:

• Speed
• Strong hands
• Cold-blooded focus in big moments

“When the ball’s coming, everything else disappears,” she said. “School, friends, drama—it’s just me and the ball.”

She calls it her flow state. And it’s her super power.

Positions, Skills & The Art of Pulling a Flag

One part of Dickens’ book readers will love?

Her detailed breakdown of every position in flag—offense, defense, and everything in between.

Her biggest defensive lesson: don’t cherry-pick.

“Don’t reach for one tiny flag. Get wide, get low, go for both. Move your feet and nobody gets past you.”

Playful confidence? Absolutely earned.

NFL Legends, Indicators, and Professional Wisdom

One of the most surprising elements of We Run This House is Dickens’ access to NFL royalty.

She landed interviews with:

• Matthew Stafford
• Jared Goff
• Michael Strahan
• Andrew Whitworth

And she wasn’t just fangirling—she was learning.

Top takeaways:

• Whitworth: Be a multi-sport athlete; it makes you better.
• Goff: Receivers use subtle “indicator steps” to signal when they want the ball.
• Strahan: Block out everything except the job you’re doing.
• Stafford: Might want to play flag himself. (Yes, really.)

She also spoke with women’s flag icons like Diana Flores and Vanita Krouch, whose dedication, grit, and creativity helped build the sport before the world noticed.

“Those interviews were so inspiring,” Dickens said. “I wanted other girls to feel that too.”

Spotlighting Her Teammates—Because Stars Share the Stage

One of the most endearing parts of Dickens’ book is how she highlights her teammates, giving them their own legendary moments.

There’s Skylie Cid, who can “duck walk” while sprinting (a skill the rest of us will never attempt).

There’s Tessa Russell, who elevated high-pointing the ball to an art form.

“I wouldn’t be anywhere without them,” Dickens said. “They’re part of my story.”

And Yes—Taylor Swift Made the Book

Of course, the queen did!

Dickens is a singer-songwriter herself, so including the world’s most influential pop star—whose mere presence in an NFL suite boosted viewership among young girls—felt natural.

“Girls saw her and thought, ‘Football’s cool. I want to watch too,’” Dickens said. “She brought a whole new audience.”

A Song, a Stadium, and 54,000 Fans

And speaking of music, Dickens song We Run This House isn’t just a soundtrack for flag football—it literally became one.

At the 2024 Pro Bowl, with 54,000 fans in the stands, her anthem blasted through the stadium speakers as she was interviewed live on the field.

“It was the coolest moment of my life,” she said. “I felt seen. I felt like the sport was seen.”

Inspiring the Next Generation—One Call at a Time

Dickens already gets messages from young girls who want to try flag football but are scared or inexperienced.

One student from a school without a girls’ team called her recently seeking advice.

“She was terrified,” Dickens said. “So we talked. Then she ordered the book. That meant everything.”

Her biggest advice?

“You just need five girls for a team. Grab a ball, get outside, practice routes. Anyone can start.”

Where the Future of Flag is Headed

Dickens sees women’s flag football skyrocketing in the next decade:

• More colleges offering competitive programs
• A thriving professional league
• Expanded international tournaments
• A massive breakthrough at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles

She dreams of competing there herself.

Trials for the national team are next year. She’s ready.

So Where Do You Find Her?

Easy:

• Instagram: @AnnaSofiaDickens
• TikTok: same
• Book: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
• Website: www.annasofiadickens.com

Her goal is simple: “Help as many girls as possible fall in love with football.”

Final Whistle

AnnaSofia Dickens is more than a rising athlete—she’s a movement in cleats.

Her book helps. Her song motivates. Her story inspires.

And as women’s flag football steps into the national spotlight, she’s not just a participant—she’s one of the brightest young leaders pushing it forward.