Meet Landen Ly, a standout 4th grader from MacArthur Elementary in Lakewood, California, representing the Class of 2033. From the moment he stepped on the field at age six, football has been a growing passion—and now, after several years of development, competition, and personal growth, Landen is poised for even bigger things in 2025.
Landen’s football journey began with flag football, where his natural skill quickly surfaced. That early success transitioned into 7v7, and now two full years of tackle football, where he’s made a major impact. In 2024, he helped lead his team to their first Snoop Super Bowl Championship—a huge milestone after falling just short in 2023. With that win behind him, Landen is heading into his third tackle season and looking ahead to a national run in Florida in 2025.
As a wide receiver, Landen takes pride in the details—mastering the route tree, using clean footwork, tracking the ball, and securing catches with strong hands. Scoring touchdowns and making big plays for his team is what he lives for. Inspired by NFL star Mike Evans, Landen admires not just his performance on the field but how he carries himself off of it.
Off the field, Landen is just like many kids his age—he enjoys video games and playing basketball with his younger brother, Preston. But when it comes to training, he’s locked in. He trains 2–3 times a week at the Annex Training Center in Long Beach, focusing on core strength and balance.
Landen recently competed in two major events: the DRTY PRO Camp in Fountain Valley, CA, and the Blu Chps Combine in Atlanta, GA. He thrives in 1-on-1 matchups, especially when he’s lined up against top-tier talent—opportunities he embraces to prove what he’s capable of.
His goals are clear. In the short term, he’s working to sharpen his routes, improve his understanding of defenses, and find open space. Long term, he wants to rack up more yards after the catch. Overcoming challenges has also been part of his growth—he remembers being afraid of contact in his first year of tackle, but he worked through it by trusting his equipment, using proper technique, and building confidence.
Landen’s routine before games is focused and intentional: music in his Beats headphones to stay calm, followed by a quiet prayer just before kickoff. He credits his Head Coach, Coach Tone, as one of his biggest influences—someone who believes in him, holds him accountable, and gave him the chance to start on both offense and defense.
He’s learned a lot through his experiences, including how to stay mentally tough. “If you make a bad play, keep your head up,” Landen says. “Don’t think about it the whole game—new play, new day.” That mindset helped him push through one of his toughest moments: battling strep throat and a fever the night before a playoff game. With the support of his coaches and teammates—and plenty of Pedialyte—he played through it and helped lead his team to a win that sent them to the Super Bowl.
One of Landen’s proudest moments was scoring his first touchdown of his 9U season on a jet sweep. But a memory that will stick with him forever came off the field—when he and his team were featured on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. Landen got to meet Rich Eisen, Kurt Warner, Steve Mariucci, and Michael Irvin while demonstrating the Philadelphia Eagles’ “Tush Push.” He ended up at the bottom of the pile—but he was all smiles. “I was ok, lol,” he says.
You can follow Landen’s journey and see clips from his football life on Instagram at @Landen_a_ly. With his passion, work ethic, and growing resume, Landen Ly is a name to keep an eye on as he continues to rise in the football world.