Flag Football Is on the Rise
It is the fastest growing recreational sport in the nation. Flag football, especially among youth aged 6 to 14, is alive and well and it continues to thrive in communities all over the country.
Over the past year, participation in flag football increased 8.7 percent among children in the 6 to 14 age group. The increase in participation is more than any other sport and pales in comparison to the 1.9 percent increase in tackle football participation in the same age group.
With the latest round of vicious hits and suspensions in the NFL commanding major media attention, flag football offers an alternative that includes much of the same excitement of the tackle game without the violent collisions. As more research is revealed concerning concussions and other injuries, even more young athletes may turn to flag football. Injury is, of course, one of the big reasons why flag football is becoming more popular, but it is not the only reason.
The Rise of 7-on-7 Football
The state of Texas, where football is king, has a 7-on-7 state championship. Schools compete against other schools for a state title just like they do in the fall. Other states, especially those in warmer climates, may follow suit. High school varsity, junior varsity, and junior high programs attend camps and competitions all summer long where 7-on-7 football is the norm.
A quarterback and all of an offense’s skill position players line up and execute against a defense that features the linebackers (three) and secondary (four). There are a variety of rules that may change from competition to competition, but game play is pretty standard across the board. While most 7-on-7 competitions do not utilize flags, the games are similar in that the number of collisions is virtually zero.
The sport is fun and the speed of the game is a draw. Parents of athletes involved in 7-on-7 football find that they spend less money too. All the expensive equipment needed for tackle football is not needed in 7-on-7. Compared to several sports such as travel baseball or hockey, playing competitive 7-on-7 flag football is rather inexpensive. Parents do not have to break the bank in order for their young athletes to play.
Open to Boys & Girls
Just like soccer, basketball, and hockey; girls can play too. Girls have stayed away from tackle football, for the most part, due to the physical implications of the game. That does not hold true in flag football. Boys and girls can play right alongside one another in the flag version of the game. Many of the most successful leagues are ones that feature co-ed teams that allow girls to thrive just as much as boys.
Quality of Athlete
Whereas the typical athlete would always play tackle football, that same athlete now chooses flag. The speed of the game and the fun involved are great motivators that influence young athletes to pick up the game. Many young athletes are choosing flag football and flag football only. A higher level of quality athletes playing the game encourages other similar athletes to try it out.
Quality of Coaching
As the level of play has increased, the level of coaching has as well. Many former college and professional football players see an opportunity to give back and become involved with local flag football organizations. The higher level of coaching helps to accelerate player development making games more competitive and more fun. This has a tendency to attract new players.
Tackle Football Leagues Support Flag Leagues
The lifeblood of high school football is the thousands and thousands of youth programs around the country. It is customary for youth tackle programs to draw from youth flag programs. Flag football serves as a bridge to tackle football at some point in a young athlete’s career. Those youth wanting to play the tackle game can get their start by playing in flag football league. Tackle players are choosing to play flag football in the off-season to sharpen their skills meanwhile mitigating injuries that are common in the full-contact tackle version of the sport.
Organization Strength & Quality
Due to the growth of the sport, organizations such as GOVA SPORTS have grown stronger and are more capable of giving young athletes a quality experience. The GOVA SPORTS flag football league sets standards for coaches. They hire referees and do all of the scheduling, including practice times. As participation increases, leagues grow, and as leagues grow more individuals help to provide young athletes with a great flag football experience.
Injury
There are injuries in any sport, but there is greater susceptibility to head injuries in tackle football as compared to flag. The rise in the research linking concussions to CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) has created a scare and has many parents rethinking their decisions related to allowing their children to play tackle football, especially at very young ages. Because of the reduced amount of contact, especially that to the head, flag football is a perfect alternative to the tackle version of the game.
What the Future Holds
A number of key people, including New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees, believe that flag football can save the game. Flag football is gaining momentum not only here in the U.S., but also overseas. Where tackle football requires expensive equipment that many in poorer foreign countries cannot afford, athletes can play flag football at relatively little cost.
In fact, flag football is gaining so much in popularity around the world that it is being considered as an Olympic sport. It is possible by the year 2024 that flag football, or even tackle football, is added to the lineup of Olympic sports. The case for flag football is somewhat stronger as the barriers to entry for tackle football – the high equipment costs – would eliminate many of the world’s less affluent countries.
There is also a professional flag football league in the making. The American Flag Football League kicked off in the summer of 2017 featuring former NFL players Michael Vick and Terrell Owens. In 2018, a 1,024-team tournament will take place culminating with an 8-team championship round. Four teams of amateur finalists will square off against four teams of professionals and the winners will take home a grand prize of $1 million.
As the game expands here in the U.S. as well as overseas, flag football will continue to provide an outlet for athletes that love the game of football without all of the contact.
Ready to play? Register for flag football with GOVA SPORTS today.