Start a League

NFL Flag Football Affiliate
Many flag football leagues are members of the NFL Flag Football program.
NFL Flag has a four-step application process that includes terms/conditions, submitting insurance information, online players waivers/registration and submitting coaches’ information. To apply, click here!

Advantages of NFL Flag affiliation:

• Your $20 per player fee gives you NFL Flag gear (2 balls and 10  flags
  per team) and reversible NFL team jerseys (you choose the team). Jerseys
  are in adult sizes only.
  
• Online (paperless) player waiver and registration through active.com—this
  is a required process. (NFL Flag no longer pays the active.com fee, which is 2.25%.)
• NFL Flag will list your league contact info on their website, which includes a link to your league website.

We can design your league website, which will give you a much more customized and great looking website, vs. the options available on eteamz (and we do all the work for you!). Our staff will quickly set up your site with NFL Flag rules and plays, your program, schedule and contact information, as well as integrate your active.com registration account.

Although NFL Flag affiliated leagues receive equipment through their program, you will still need additional flag football supplies. Youthflag.com is your resource for league discounted quality gear!

Independent Flag Football League
It is not necessary to become an official NFL Flag league.  Many flag football leagues are run independently, and follow the NFL Flag’s 5v5 format, and guidelines for coaches and players. Running an independent league gives you more flexibility in branding and administering your league.

Youthflag.com is your one-stop resource for setting up, marketing and organizing
your league. In addition to creating your website and coaches resources, we offer discount pricing on flag football jerseys, player and coaches gear.

Start-Up Checklist

• Secure field location. You can program 100-200 kids (10-20 teams) per flag football field, depending on number of practices a week (and how many week day sessions you can do), and if you are playing games on both Saturday and Sunday.
• Arrange league liability insurance. Field owner will typically require proof as well as being added to policy as an Additional Insured.
• Establish league rules, game and rain policies, code of conduct, coach applications, season dates, registration process.
• Determine your budget and establish registration fee.
• Create league logo
• Launch your website
• Activate registration process: offering paying by check or credit cards online is ideal. You can set up an active.com account for credit card transactions (there is a fee), or have your own merchant account.
• Market your league: community newspaper listings, street signs, flyers through area schools
• Recruit coaches and referees early and through player registrations
• Run coaches background checks
• Hold coaches meetings before season starts
• Determine if you will have pre-season tryouts to establish teams
• Decide if you will end each season with a tournament
• Establish a referee education program
• Order jerseys—plan time for silk screening your league logo if you are not getting through NFL Flag.
• Order Gear: mouth guards, footballs, flags, bags, cones, field marking machine and paint, referee and coaches gear
• Assign teams (up to 10 players for 5v5 format)
• Create practice and game schedule, and possible pre-season clinics. Establish policy for rain out of both practices and games.
• Communicate clearly. All rules and policies should be online and available in print. Players, parents and coaches should all sign league code of conducts and player waiver forms. Rainouts need to be decided and posted in a timely manner for parents to receive them. For parents who do not have email or internet access, a method for communicating rainouts needs to be established and followed.
• Arrange for league photo day

Go to Resources for more services for starting and running a league.