Even though Marisa Moley would go on to play lacrosse at Bloomsburg University, if flag football had been offered at Spring-Ford High School in Royersford, when she was a student ...
"I would have played flag," she said. "I played lacrosse because that was what was available for me in the springtime. But I've played flag in adult leagues since college, so I had that experience at the time when I applied for the job, and was fortunate to get it."
The job that she got at her alma mater in 2024 was the inaugural head coach of the girls flag football team.
"I really didn't even know about the opportunity," Moley said. "We actually had an opening at our school for a lacrosse position, so I was considering going for that. And then about a week later, the flag position came up.
"I had no idea that some of our current players and my current assistant coach – one of them graduated last year, Ava Young, she won a Mini Max Award for us. And two are rising seniors, Alexandra Sullivan and MaryGrace Foulke. Those three and my assistant coach, Laura Foulke – had presented the Eagles program to the school board, and gotten approved."
A 2010 Spring-Ford graduate, Moley, who also teaches special education at the school, has created a trusting relationship with her players.
"My classroom is always an open door and a safe haven for my players," she said. "They know they can walk in at any time of the day to talk, vent about the pressures they are facing, or just get a hug and a shoulder to cry on. I want them to know they are valued as human beings first and athletes second, and that they never have to carry their burdens alone.
"At the same time, I use their love for flag football as a tool for accountability. I remind them that 'student' comes before 'athlete' for a reason. If their grades slip, they know they have to take care of their academics first. By pairing unconditional emotional support with high standards for their education and behavior, I help guide them to make smart, safe choices that protect their futures both on and off the field."
Moley also uses integrity and achievement to guide the flag football program.
"To me, integrity is simple," Moley said. "It's about being a good person and treating everyone with respect, regardless of who they are. In our school building, I give the exact same respect to our paraprofessionals as I do to our principal, and I expect my players to mirror that behavior.
"On the field, good sportsmanship is an absolute non-negotiable. Winning means nothing to me if it isn't done with class. Everyone likes to win, but to me, true achievement has nothing to do with the scoreboard.
"The greatest measure of our success is our team culture. I try to invite alumni back to team events, and seeing our former players consistently want to return, give back, and stay connected, proves that Spring-Ford flag football meant something deeply personal to them. Creating a lasting sisterhood and a program that players are proud to belong to long after they graduate is my proudest achievement."
Which says a lot considering that Spring-Ford hasn't lost a league game in its three years of existence. What makes Moley most proud of what the team has accomplished?
"Really, just them getting recognized for their efforts and what they're doing," she said. "They're making history at school and I want them to understand that they're doing that. And because of the three of them that presented this to the school board, if they weren't courageous enough to do that, these girls wouldn't even have the opportunity to play this sport. So, yeah, I think that's what is most important to me, and I think that's why I coach."
Reaching this season's Pioneer Athletic Conference Suburban Semifinals in the Eagles Girls Flag Football League, presented by Gatorade, Moley coached the Rams in all but one game as they posted a 13-2 record. She, however, had a good reason for missing that game.
"I had my daughter, Mia, three days into our season. So that was a whirlwind for my wife, Rachael, and I, becoming parents for the first time," Moley said. "I missed the first week and a half of the season, which we had a scrimmage against Lansdale Catholic and a game against Archbishop Wood.
"It was good to celebrate our season at the end, the banquet. I was able to give a speech and tell them that my daughter's looking up to them, they're role models for her. She's going to know that flag football is an opportunity for her because of them. I thanked them for that.
"I really enjoy just hanging around the players and spending time with them. They're fun to be around. They're good kids and they're fun to watch. They work so hard together, I think it's so cool that they always have each other's backs. Even though they might not be the best of friends, you wouldn't be able to tell on the football field. You'd think they're the best friends in the world. Which is fun to watch, too."
Moley, who is the Philadelphia Eagles High School Girls Flag Football Coach of the Week, presented by Visa, doesn't look at it as an individual accomplishment.
"To me, I hope it means more recognition for our program in general, and the girls," she said. "Because I think they deserve that. I'm just humbled to be in this position and to be able to coach them, and continue to coach them."
In Royersford, the game of football doesn't go dormant when the Spring-Ford school year ends. Moley is proud to also be the Girls Flag Co-Commissioner for the Spring-Ford Youth Football & Cheer program and give back to the district that has fully supported the Rams' girls and boys teams.
"Coach Laura (Foulke) and Coach (Mike) Palmer, our varsity tackle football coach, and I all have a good relationship with Renee Hartman, who runs our youth program. We're constantly in contact with her, thinking of different ways we can get involved with the youth in our community," Moley said.
"She does a great job and does this whole event called the Ram Bowl, where all the local youth football and girls flag football teams come together at Spring-Ford, and there's a bunch of games that go on all day.
"Our girls and the boys tackle team go and volunteer. So that's a really cool event. We're constantly doing stuff with the youth. Clinics, camps, stuff like that."
