6 Things You Didn’t Know About Flag Football

Male flag football player in blue i9 Sports jersey runs with the football tucked under his right arm.

Flag football’s popularity continues to grow each year as more boys and girls discover the fun and excitement of the game. Parents love the game because it offers a much safer alternative to tackle football. You may already understand the basics of football, but here are six things you might not know about flag football:   

1. The military boosted the popularity of flag football.

In the 1940s military personnel would play “Touch and Tail” football which we now know as flag football.  The game was developed on military bases as a recreational pastime and sport for military personal to play to stay fit and occupied while on base during World War II.  When they came back to the states they brought the sport back with them and created leagues with fellow military members.

2. Playing flag football doesn’t require a lot of equipment. 

With no physical contact, flag football doesn’t require expensive equipment such as helmets or shoulder pads.  Get your child a pair of athletic sneakers or rubber soled cleats and an i9 Sports® jersey and they are ready to go!

3. Everyone has their own way to play flag football, with changes in team sizes or field sizes. 

Another great thing about flag football is that when the league is over, kids can play on their own.  Even though with i9 Sports® each week, we play 5 on 5 games of flag football, games can also be played with four, seven, eight or nine players to a side.  Fields can also vary in size.  As long as children have a big enough open area and two end zones to score on, they can play in almost any space.

4. Flag football can be fun for all ages, from kids as young as 5 to adults.

Just like youth leagues have been popping up everywhere for flag football, it has also become a popular sport for college students and even adults.  Many college intramural programs offer the sport with some schools offering it as a club sports. There are also many adult leagues that are becoming just as popular. There are leagues that offer men’s, women’s, and co-ed options for all skill levels and even hold a national championship every year.

5. The Guinness World Record for the longest continuous game of flag football is 62 hours! 

Held in Moose Jaw, Canada in 2015, the game was organized as a fundraiser for the Children’s Wish Foundation. Don’t worry – none of our games will go that long!

6. Even NFL superstars played flag football when they were kids.  

One of the most famous NFL players of all time, Tom Brady, started playing football in a flag football league.  Considered to be one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks ever, Brady played flag football for several years, beginning in elementary school in San Mateo until his freshman year of high school.  Brady used the skills and knowledge he learned from flag football to compete for a roster position on the junior varsity team. Brady went on to start on the varsity team his junior year, and then accepted a scholarship to play football at the University of Michigan before becoming a member of the New England Patriots. 

If you’re looking for a fun and safe alternative to tackle football, register your child for an i9 Sports® flag football league today!