USA FOOTBALL ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH UNITED STATES PERFORMANCE CENTER
December 20, 2022 – With an eye toward elevating its high performance, U.S. National Team offerings and athlete training to an Olympic caliber, USA Football is partnering with the United States Performance Center (USPC), a leading-edge high-performance training and human performance research center headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The partnership with USPC will provide U.S National Team athletes access to state-of-the-art human performance personnel, proprietary equipment and training protocols in an effort to maximize physical and mental preparedness for competition. The USPC will serve as the home of USA Football’s high performance activities and will aid in the identification and development of current and future national team athletes. In addition, USPC will host several USA Football events starting in 2023, including “The One Flag Championship”, the premier flag football tournament and culminating experience of USA Football’s sanctioning flag football tournament pathway.
“We are very proud to partner with the United States Performance Center”, said Eric Mayes, Managing Director of High Performance and National Teams for USA Football. “There is no doubting the upward trajectory of flag football, both domestically and abroad. As international competition in flag football aspires to the Olympic Games and beyond, USA Football is building a comprehensive national team program to help facilitate sustained competitive excellence for years to come. This partnership with the USPC is a foundational piece in evolving our sports performance offerings as we look to achieve and surpass our goals.”
USA Football, the sport’s national governing body and a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, organizes the U.S. National Team for international flag and tackle football competition operated under the rules of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). The sanctioned tournament slate features eight events at various sites across the United States, and will be the first of its kind to utilize the USA Football Fives Rulebook, which includes the IFAF regulations used for international competition.
“The United States Performance Center is extremely excited to partner with USA Football,” said Ike Belk, Co-Founder of USPC. “This represents an incredible opportunity to develop athletes of all ages in an iconic American sport that fuels passion for millions of players and fans across the country and globally. We are highly motivated to help USA Football achieve their absolute highest potential.”
“The One Flag Championship” will be an open invitation tournament taking place July 7 – 9, 2023 at the United States Performing Center, a 10,000 square-foot performance training facility dedicated to developing elite athletes.
In addition to the activities surrounding “The One Flag Championship”, fans and competitors will also be able to check out the Junior International Cup, which will showcase the 2023 Junior Flag U.S National Teams competing against youth teams from other countries. Athletes that take part in The One Flag Championship or its sanctioned tournaments will be scouted for 2024 trial invites.
About USPC: The United States Performance Center, based in Charlotte, NC, is dedicated to research-based athletic development, injury prevention, and overall health and wellness, utilizing novel technologies and proprietary equipment & training protocols. USPC’s vision is to become the world’s most innovative and collaborative human performance training company.
About USA Football: USA Football designs and delivers premier educational, developmental and competitive programs to advance and grow the sport. As the sport’s national governing body, member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and organizer of the U.S. National Team for international competition, USA Football partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy and athletics to support positive football experiences for youth, high school and other amateur players.