ENCINITAS, Calif. — When it comes to sports, daughters don't often get to follow their father's football glory, but times as you know are changing. In this Zevely Zone, I met a football family at the San Dieguito Academy on "Game Day".
For a father who spent his whole life living, breathing and eating football, Coach Darrin Brown just had to find a way to get his girl on the gridiron.
"Just blitz outside," said Coach Brown. In the late '80s, Darrin was an All-league linebacker at San Dieguito High. He went on to coach at La Costa Canyon for a decade and won a CIF championship.
How much does he love football? "It's my favorite sport," said Coach Brown.
When Darrin became a dad and had two girls, Kailer and Joie. His daughters followed in their father's footsteps playing sports, fishing, tubing, jet skiing, rafting, and skiing but there was with one glaring absence.
"This is a football family," said Michele Brown who is the mother of the family. Michele admits when the girls were young, Darrin hoped they'd someday play football.
"I actually have pictures of them in football uniforms at a pretty young age," laughed Michele.
Lo and behold, girl's flag football became a brand-new CIF-sanctioned sport this year.
"Set hike," yelled Joie. Guess who signed up to play quarterback.
"The second it came out that girls flag football was going to be a thing, I was like I have to do it," said Joie. She wears number 11 just like her dad did on the same San Dieguito High field.
"Right here, same place," said Coach Brown.
Joie's sister Kailer graduated last year, so she's helping out on the sidelines. We asked her who is more intense, her sister or dad.
"Football? I'd say my dad for sure because he gets very intense," said Kailer. She says her sister is a natural born leader.
"Obviously, this is a really good team, and they are undefeated right now," said Joie in the huddle.
"She's the most outgoing person I've ever met," said one teammate.
"She's beautiful and she's so funny," said another teammate. Joie says her hard hitting football father definitely has a softer side.
"I think it's so cute. He's a big teddy bear, he is a sweetheart, everyone says he's so scary but he's not scary," said Joie.
I asked Coach Brown if he was tough on his daughter.
"Yeah, in all honesty, I am, and she'll agree," said Coach Brown. It runs in the family, because Darrin's dad Andy Brown was All-league at San Dieguito too in the 50's. He is powerful and proud grandpa.
"I think this is very special. It's my son and my granddaughter," said Andy. "It's precious because she's a good athlete and Darrin is a good coach."
A coach, who on this day called his own number. Joie, wearing number 11, scored a touchdown! Joie plays quarterback but also snaps the ball and plays receiver. She's currently splitting her time between playing varsity volleyball and flag football this fall season.