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Starting A Flag Football Program
Guides & Resources for League Operators
Guides & Resources for League Operators
Building a solid plan is the first step to starting a flag football program.
Anyone, from local to national organizations, can raise the flag in their community. The Flag Football Quick Start Guide provides a plan for getting started by covering key topics such as creating a budget, securing insurance, finding a field, marketing and branding, purchasing equipment, coaching education, and tournament competitions.
Your community can experience the excitement of football without the contact. The Non-Contact Football Guide provides valuable tips for player engagement and development, fundamental individual football skills, field layouts, and information on accessing more resources through USA Football's Enrollment, Certification, and Membership.
From recreation to competitive flag, USA Football offers more for league operators. The Enrollment Benefits Guide outlines three steps to launching and growing your flag program, providing an overview of how to enroll your youth football league, additional resources, insights, and tools to support your organization.
Did you know enrolling your organization with USA Football adds even more resources to your league's toolbelt? Enroll for free or login today to access your league resources.
USA Football's Flag Grants help organizations and teams operate their flag football program.
USA Football is dedicated to promoting FootballForAll®. Our inclusive Girls Flag Grant aims to support youth and scholastic organizations in launching girls-only flag football programs. This grant is tailored to meet each organization's specific needs and can provide various resources, including equipment, playbooks, and assistance from USA Football's expert staff in areas such as marketing and operations.
USA Football's Flag Equipment Grant is available for youth organizations, middle schools, and high school girls' flag football programs that need flag belts and footballs.
Organizations that enroll yearly with USA Football can access additional resources, including the League Operations Guide, League Marketing Kit, Risk Management Guide, Emergency Action Plan, and more!
A sustainable flag football program requires the right equipment.
USA Football streamlines the purchasing and ordering of flag football equipment through an online store that offers:
Enrolled organizations have quick access to receipts and a complete dashboard for easily accessing equipment resources and the USA Football store. Additionally, when you enroll, we can assist you with other flag football field equipment:
*USA Football offers Online Education and Training Courses for your league's flag football referees—Certified Officials receive a patch, shirt, coin, and more.
Rules and playbooks for coaches, officials and league operators starting or running a flag football program.
Flag football offers a thrilling, non-contact game experience that is enjoyable for all ages and can be played on various field sizes.
Flag football is rapidly gaining popularity and will be included in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. As the National Governing Body, USA Football leads the U.S. National Flag Teams for international competitions, which follow the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) 5v5 rules.
In flag football, there is no blocking, each team has four plays to advance the ball, run plays are prohibited in designated no-run zones, and blitzers must start at least seven yards back and identify themselves, with penalties for any obstruction.
The IFAF Flag rules are the official guidelines for international competitions, including The World Games, Continental Championships, and the Olympics. This style of flag football is played worldwide. The rulebook includes descriptions and rules for Beach Flag, Indoor Flag, 5v5, and 7v7 formats.
The USA FLAG™ 5's rulebook is a condensed version of the larger IFAF rulebook. It includes distinct rules for league play and tournament play, making it beneficial for flag organizations, regardless of their competition structure. Additionally, it offers suggestions for modifying the game or rules based on the players' age and skill level.
The USA FLAG™ 7's rulebook is based on the USA FLAG™ 5's rulebook, with modifications made to account for the additional two players. This rulebook is an excellent resource for youth leagues that want to include more players on the field, allowing for increased coaching opportunities and playing time in their programs.
Having the right tools for your flag football program's coaches, like a solid playbook, is essential for coaches to adapt quickly to a league just starting up. USA Football offers playbooks and schemes for various levels of flag football to help coaches with game and practice play calling.
Providing tools to help your coaches run a team can be an advantage for a youth flag football program just starting up. USA Football's Coach Planner App (try it for free) helps coaches find the right football drills, share practice plans, set up schedules, and collaborate with parents and other coaches with the Coach Planner App.
USA Football offers flag football training for new or experienced coaches and officials.
Flag football coaches can receive training that focuses on teaching the game's fundamentals and take the next step to learning more advanced X's and O's for higher levels of flag football competition.
The training for flag football officials covers the rules and mechanics, signal calls, game management, communication strategies, and more.
Set the standard for your flag football by prioritizing health and safety on and off the field.
Background screenings prioritize the safety of your athletes and protect your organization. Screening your coaches and staff who interact with your athletes helps make the game safer by identifying potential risks, preventing harm, and building trust in your league's reputation. Through USA Football's preferred background check screening partner, you can receive best-in-class screenings from NCSI.
Creating policies that address misconduct helps create a safer environment for the athletes in your flag football program. USA Football supports organizations in promoting a healthy and positive environment by adhering to the U.S. Center for SafeSport's policies and procedures, providing training and resources for coaches, athletes, and parents.
Following the best practices for athlete interaction and implementing a return-to-play progression after an injury shows your flag football program's commitment to prioritizing the health and safety of athletes. You can view USA Football's 6-Step Return to Play Progression for managing an athlete's return to activities post-concussion.
Adjusting your flag football program's practice guidelines can help athletes acclimate to the heat and prevent dehydration. USA Football's Hydration guide offers valuable tips for keeping athletes hydrated, performing in hot conditions, recognizing and treating exertional heat illnesses, and modifying practices accordingly.
Running a youth flag football program helps athletes discover the fun of the game, but sometimes injuries occur, and knowing how to respond to medical emergencies can significantly reduce tragic outcomes when an emergency incident occurs. USA Football's Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) informational brochure helps to reinforce proper response time and treatment.
While no flag football program wants to experience an emergency, it is better to be prepared if situations arise. An Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is a comprehensive document outlining specific procedures for responding to various emergencies, and enrolled organizations have access to a more customizable EAP.
Starting a flag football program involves establishing relationships with parents in your community and creating a positive environment that fosters growth both on and off the field for their athletes. USA Football's Parent and Guardian Guide is designed to empower those supporting youth athletes with insights on first aid, hydration, nutritious snacks, treating common injuries, and more.
Supporting athletes on and off the field can help a flag football program establish a more powerful youth sports culture. TrueSport is a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency program and movement that promotes positive youth sports experiences by providing tools and resources for character development, healthy lifestyles, and athletic performance.
Starting and running a flag football program involves offering education and resources that support athletes' mental wellness. Organizations such as the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) offer online resources and services to provide athletes with mental health and performance support.
USA Football provides a wide range of resources and tools for individuals and organizations to enhance their performance both on and off the field. While some resources may require creating a free USA Football account, many can be accessed directly without a login. Take a peek at various resources for athletes, parents, coaches, and organization leaders.
A youth flag football program can provide a pathway for athletes, coaches, and officials to rise to the highest levels through USA Football.
This pathway provides athletes, coaches, and officials with more opportunities to choose how they want to enjoy the game. As the National Governing Body, USA Football supports flag football programs with accredited education and resources, promoting a connected ecosystem for coaches, officials, athletes, and their parents.
This pathway offers a more competitive flag football, combining position-specific skills and advanced concepts. As the National Governing Body, USA Football evaluates athletes, coaches, and officials to help improve their performance through the National Team Development Program, preparing them for tournaments, playoffs, and championships.
As the National Governing Body, USA Football provides the only pathway to the highest level of international flag football competition, including the Olympics. Athletes, coaches, and officials on this pathway are among the nation's best, dedicating significant time to training, wellness, and skill refinement to meet the demands of elite competition.
The USA Football Development Model (FDM) utilizes flag football as a fundamental entry point and progression pathway within the sport. The FDM emphasizes the holistic development of each athlete, both on and off the field, while allowing them to progress at their own pace through various skill levels.
The journey to the highest levels of flag football for an athlete, coach, or official begins with USA Football, which is the best way to get on the U.S. National Team's radar.
A USA Football Membership provides athletes with the eligibility to participate in National Team Development Program events and competitions.
Coaches and officials with a USA Football Membership and various levels of training are eligible to apply for roles at National Team Development Program events and competitions.
USA Football provides tools you can use to start a girls flag program from organizing your first event to building a thriving program.
Organizations have the power to bring girls' flag football to their communities, creating more opportunities for girls to get out on the field, develop skills, and experience the thrill of the game.
Girls' and women's flag football is experiencing significant growth, as more state high school associations are beginning to sanction or pilot girls' high school programs. This progression is providing athletes with expanded opportunities, especially with the increasing number of college programs available.
GIRLS BETWEEN
THE AGES OF 6-17
played organized flag football in 2024.
GIRLS FLAG
PARTICIPATION
grew from 2015-2024,.
OF WOMEN WHO
PLAYED SPORTS
are likelier to be business leaders.
STATES HAVE
SANCTIONED
girls' flag football as a high school sport.
COLLEGES OFFER
SCHOLARSHIPS
for women's flag football in the NAIA.
*Figures above from the Physical Activity Council’s Annual Participation study, 2024 edition, Her Sport Foundation, nflflag.com, and firstpointusa.com.